A feeling of comfort embraces you in the warm living room. Formal dining room, expansive eat-in kitchen. Updated baths, roof, floors, and heating. Bedroom on 1st floor with access to marble bath. Upstairs offers 3 bedrooms and full bath. Central air conditioning, large patio, fenced yard, basement.
$560,000 | ML# 3442202
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Sits back from the street on a spacious 0.65 acre lot. Formal living room, formal dining room, large open kitchen, cozy den with fireplace. Master suite with full bath, three additional bedrooms and full bath upstairs. Partially finished full basement. Fenced in backyard with in-ground pool. $727,500 ML# 3432122
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By Fr. Francis Pizzarelli
The holiday season is in full bloom. Our beautiful villages with Christmas lights and wreaths reminds us what this time of year is supposed to be about. We celebrate the holiday season across a landscape that is polarized and profoundly divisive.
Our recent midterm elections have made the powerful statement that Americans are tired of hearing about election steal lies. They are tired of conspiracy theories and rhetoric that is blatantly false and disgraceful.
The midterm elections have made a powerful statement that democracy is more powerful than autocracy; that we as a nation want to move forward and find new ways to collaborate with each other for the sake of all Americans.
As you prepare to celebrate Christmas and Hanukkah, I hope our faith leaders have the courage to stand up and speak for truth, for social justice and respect for all people no matter what their race, religion, sexual orientation, or socioeconomic class.
Our silence, when it comes to serious life issues that impact all of us, is a statement of complicity. Shame on those of us who hold positions of religious leadership and remain silent. Shame on those who hold positions of religious leadership and fuel the hate and polarization that is paralyzing our nation.
However, despite this chaotic landscape I continue to remain exceptionally hopeful because I am blessed to see miracles and human transformation every day.
Every morning when I get up, I look out at our garden of remembrance. There are more than 120 crosses representing all the innocent lives that have been lost to overdose and addiction since the pandemic. They are from our community. They have mothers and fathers, brothers and sisters that live among us. I know these days are hard for their families. We must never forget but always remember their gift of life.
Human kindness continues to live on in our midst. Hopefully during this holiday season, it will become contagious. Recently a retired schoolteacher told me a powerful story. She was on line at Taco Bell in her car and her eyes met the eyes of a man in a red truck in front of her. It was just a momentary glance. When she got to the window to pay, the cashier told her there was no charge. The man in the red truck had covered her meal. Needless to say, she was overwhelmed.
The cashier gave her a note which I have permission to share with you: “To the person behind me in line, please accept this small act of kindness today as a reminder that all of us have bad days, but not all of us were fortunate enough to wake up this morning and have a day at all. No matter how hard it gets, keep going! You are stronger than your most difficult hour, and there are so many people supporting you even if you haven’t met them yet. Peace, love, tacos — a random stranger.”
As we celebrate the holiday season this year, let us reach out with random kindness to the strangers in our midst that could become our friends!
Father Francis Pizzarelli, SMM, LCSW-R, ACSW, DCSW, is the director of Hope House Ministries in Port Jefferson.
By Beverly C. Tyler
Celebrating Thanksgiving Day as the end of the season of harvest was and still is an important milestone in people’s lives. Diaries, journals and letters provide some of the earliest records of seasonal activity and how people connected with each other to mark occasions. In America, before the telephone became a standard household item, family members and friends stayed in touch through the U.S. Postal Service.
In 1873, a new phenomenon began when the United States Postal Service issued the first penny postcards. During the first six months, they sold 60 million. With the postcard, brevity was essential due to the small space provided. Long descriptive phrases and lengthy expressions of affection, which then were commonly used in letter writing, gave way to short greetings.
The postcard was an easy and pleasant way to send a message. A postcard sent from one town in the morning or afternoon would usually arrive in a nearby town that afternoon or evening. A postcard sent from another state would not take much longer.
The feasting aspect of Thanksgiving has continued to be an essential part of the holiday and many of the postcards that were sent reflected that theme. In addition, the postcard helped to tie the family members together with those who were absent during the holiday.
As the telephone became more widely used, the postcard became less and less important as a means of daily communications. However, it provided us with a view of the early years of the 20th century that became a permanent record of contacts between family members and friends.
Beverly C. Tyler is a Three Village Historical Society historian and author of books available from the society at 93 North Country Road, Setauket. For more information, call 631-751-3730. or visit www.tvhs.org.
— Postcards from Beverly C. Tyler’s collection
Over 100 community members raced through the paths of Heritage Park on Saturday, Nov. 19, for the inaugural Mount Sinai 5K Turkey Trot Walk/Run.
North Shore Youth Council hosted the event, with proceeds supporting local families on Thanksgiving. Bobby Woods, executive director of NSYC, detailed the motivations for putting the event together.
“I also own a few gyms, so a lot of my members wanted to do something to raise funds for local families,” he said. “The proceeds of this event are going to be used, in partnership with Crossover Christian Church [in Mount Sinai], to feed 100 families next Thursday on Thanksgiving.”
Partnerships such as these are carried out fairly often by NSYC, a 42-year-old nonprofit charity dedicated to assisting youth and families throughout the area. The council offers after-school programs, affordable child care, mental health services and community-building events, among other initiatives.
“Today, we have a little over 100 participants,” Woods said. “They’re going to try to get in a little over 3 miles, and it’s just for fun, too.”
The executive director said his two passions in life are fitness and community-building. For him, the Turkey Trot event is a way to integrate these passions and “leverage both of these platforms.” However, the event is not only a way to get fit but to support community members in need.
“The families that we’re feeding, to put yourself in their shoes, there are going to be people that wake up that are unable to feed their kids, and there’s a lot of gravity to that,” Woods said. “There are going to be 100 families that can wake up now and have a great day with their kids, and I think that’s the youth council’s mission statement — and it has always been my statement at the gym.”
Another of NSYC’s central goals is to inspire community youth to be active, motivated and stewards for positive change. Lawrence Kogel, NSYC president, offered how the 5K event plays into that broader theme.
“The other focus of the youth council is to have a vehicle to allow youth to have something to do other than playing video games and getting in trouble,” he said. “All these activities — which are spread from Shoreham, Wading River, through Rocky Point and Miller Place, to Mount Sinai and Sound Beach — are to help the youth in the community. That’s really what our organization is all about.”
Runners, joggers and walkers of all ages completed 3 1/2 circumnavigations of Heritage Park for a total of 5 kilometers. The location of the Turkey Trot carried symbolic meaning, according to Kogel, fulfilling the original intent for creating this central community hub.
“It’s a partnership between the county, the Town of Brookhaven, our organization and the civic associations and other community groups that participate in the use of the building, which was the original vision of the Heritage Park,” he said.
To follow other upcoming community events coordinated by the youth council, visit the website www.nsyc.com.
Girl Scouts Holiday Light Show
The 19th annual Girl Scouts Holiday Light Show and Enchanted Forest show returns to Smith Point County Park, 1 William Floyd Parkway, Shirley from Nov. 26 to Dec. 30. All proceeds from the drive-through show benefit Girl Scout programs & families across Long Island. For more information, visit www.holidaylightshow.org or call 543-6622.
HAPPY THANKSGIVING!
Thanksgiving Foot Races
Miller Avenue School, 3 Miller Ave., Shoreham will host the annual Shoreham-Wading River Thanksgiving Foot Races at 8 a.m. with a 5k, 5-mile and 1-mile runs for various ages. Proceeds benefit scholarships. Fee is $15 in advance, $20 race day. Call 821-8116 or visit www.swrschools.org.
Turkey Trot
The 15th annual Nissequogue River State Park Foundation’s 5k Turkey Trot at Nissequogue River State Park, 799 St. Johnland Road, Kings Park will kick off with a Fun Run for Kids at 8:30 a.m. followed by the Turkey Trot at 9 a.m. Enjoy free hot chocolate, coffee and food and activities for the kids. Prizes will be awarded to the top finishers. Entry fee is $24 in advance, $30 day of race, $10 Fun Run. To register, visit www.ourstatepark.com.
Thanksgiving Day Run
American Legion Hall, 1 Mill Dam Rd., Halesite will host the Townwide Fund of Huntington’s 4-mile Thanksgiving Day Run with a Fun Run at 8:30 a.m. and 4k Run at 9 a.m. Fees are $30 in advance, $45 day of race, $15 fun run. Call 629-4950 visit www.townwidefund.org.
Country Parlor Holiday Show
Hallockville Museum Farm, 6038 Sound Ave., Riverhead for a Country Parlor Holiday Folk Art & Gift Show on Nov. 25 from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. and Nov. 26 and 27 from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. The historic Naugles Barn is transformed into a winter wonderland with handmade items by local artisans and craftspeople including rustic Santas and tree ornaments, holiday home decor and gifts, baskets, jewelry, handmade pottery pieces, plus stocking stuffers for everyone on your list. Free admission. Call 298-5292 or visit www.hallockville.org.
Black Friday Festival
Join the Stony Brook Village Center, 111 Main St., Stony Brook for a Black Friday Festival from 2 to 4 p.m. Featuring a petting zoo, live music by Burke & Brenda, caroling by the Celestrial Singers and Black Friday deals all day long. Call 751-2244.
Winter Lantern Festival
The Smithtown Historical Society, 239 East Main St., Smithtown celebrates the holiday season with Suffolk County’s FIRST immersive Winter Lantern Festival tonight, Nov. 26 and 27 from 5:30 to 9:30 p.m. and runs on Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays through Jan. 8, 2023. The walk-through holiday light show will feature lanterns and displays in the shape of flowers, mushrooms, farm animals, dinosaurs and many more, all handmade by artisans with decades of dedication to their craft. Be ready for photo ops with friends and family, as this will be an unforgettable experience! Tickets are $22 per person, $12 ages 3 to 12. To order, visit https://www.showclix.com/tickets/suffolk-winter-lantern-festival. For more information, call 265-6768.
Northport Tree Lighting
The annual Northport Tree Lighting Ceremony is scheduled for 7 p.m. at Northport Village Park. Northport Mayor Donna Koch will have special guests to assist her in lighting the tree. The event will feature caroling from the Northport Chorale, Santa arriving with the Northport Volunteer Fire Department, and free hot chocolate and cookies courtesy of Copenhagen Bakery, Shipwreck Diner, and Northport Feed & Grain. Call 754-3905.
Friday Night Face-Off
Friday Night Face Off, Long Island’s longest running Improv Comedy Show, returns to Theatre Three’s Second Stage, 412 Main St., Port Jefferson tonight at 10:30 p.m. Using audience suggestions, FNFO pits two teams of improvisers against each other in an all-out championship! Recommended for ages16 and up, due to adult content. Tickets are $15 at the door – cash only. Call 928-9100 or visit www.theatrethree.com.
Country Parlor Holiday Show
See Nov. 25 listing.
Winter Lantern Festival
See Nov. 25 listing.
Mount Sinai Turkey Trot
Registration is currently underway for the annual Mount Sinai Turkey Trot 5k at Mount Sinai High school, 110 N. Country Rd., Mount Sinai starting at 9 a.m. Fee is $25 in advance, $30 on race day. Kids can take part in a Fun Run starting at 8:30 a.m. for $10 in advance, $15 on race day. To register, visit www.runsignup.com. For more information, call 631-870-2500.
Bright Lights at the Vanderbilt
The Suffolk County Vanderbilt Museum, 180 Little Neck Road, Centerport kicks off its third annual holiday event, Bright Lights: Celebrate the Season, tonight from 5 to 8 p.m. with a tree lighting in the mansion courtyard at 6 p.m. Thousands of warm-white lights will create holiday magic inside and outside the Mansion and illuminate trees, wreaths, garlands, guest rooms, walkways, and the Vanderbilt Library. The event will include Candlelight Tours of the decorated Vanderbilt Mansion, visits with Santa and friends in his workshop, a children’s scavenger hunt, and a 15-minute Holiday Laser show in the Reichert Planetarium. The event continues Saturdays and Sundays, Dec. 3-18, and on Dec. 22. Tickets are $25 adults, $15 children ages 12 and under at www.vanderbiltmuseum.org.
Huntington Electric Light parade
The 12th annual Huntington “Holiday Express” Electric Light Parade kicks off at 5 p.m. from the Big H Shopping Center on New York Avenue and will proceed north to Main Street and then west on Main Street to West Neck Road led by grand marshal Sal “The Voice” Valentinetti followed by a visit with Santa, live entertainment, and Christmas Tree Lighting on Wall Street. Call 351-3000.
Leg Lamp Lighting
Something *fragile* and exciting is coming! The iconic leg lamp lighting ceremony in homage to A Christmas Story returns to the old Northport Hardware store location, currently The Firefly Artists, 90 Main Street, Northport at 6:30 p.m. Former Mayor Doll will have the honor of lighting the leg. For more information, call 754-3905.
Winter Lantern Festival
See Nov. 25 listing.
Long Island Bridal Expo
East Wind Long Island, Route 25A, Wading River hosts a Long Island Bridal Expo Super Show form 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Enjoy a fashion show features a variety of wedding gowns and dresses from top designers, food tastings courtesy of East Wind, live DJ Showcase and meet professionals in photography, videography, wedding gowns, flowers, limousines, tuxedos, invitations, cakes, bands, hair salon and spa’s, photo booths, lighting, and decorating. Tickets $10 with advanced Registration. $20 at the Door. Visit www.eastwindlongisland.com.
Santa Parade
Santa Claus will be the star in this annual parade along Main Street in Port Jefferson with vintage cars, civic groups and floats. Parade starts at the Long Island Train Station on Main Street at 3 p.m., then makes it way down on Main Street, going right onto East Broadway and finishes at the Port Jefferson Village Center at 101A East Broadway. Santa will be on the first floor for photo opportunities. There will be a children’s singing choir and photo ops with ‘Snow Princesses.’Sponsored by the Greater Port Jefferson Chamber of Commerce. Call 473-1414.
No events listed for this day.
No events listed for this day.
The Dogs of Chernobyl
Join Comsewogue Public Library in Port Jefferson Station for a program titled The Dogs of Chernobyl at 7 p.m. via Zoom.Animal behaviorist Stephan Quant will tell a story of hope and resilience about the dogs descended from pets left behind after the Chernobyl nuclear disaster of 1986. To register, call 928-1212 or visit www.cplib.org/DogsChernobyl.
Smithtown Tree Lighting
The Town of Smithtown will hold its annual Tree Lighting Ceremony at Town Hall, 99 West Main St., Smithtown from 5 to 6:30 p.m. Attendees will enjoy live music, school district students’ performances, treats and a special visit from Santa Claus! A particular spot will be set up to receive non-perishable food items as a donation for the Smithtown Pantry. Call 360-7512.
Holiday Lighting of the Big Duck
A beloved annual tradition, the Holiday Lighting of the Big Duck, located at 1012 New York State Route 24 in Flanders, will be held from 7 to 9 p.m. Included in the festivities are a visit from Quackerjack, the Long Island Ducks’ baseball team mascot, duck carols led by students from the Riverhead Middle School show choir, refreshments and the ever-anticipated arrival of Santa Claus by fire truck. Call 852-3377.
Bedlam Street Bash
Join the Whaling Museum, 301 Main St., Cold Spring Harbor in celebrating the village’s past with a Bedlam Street Bash fundraiser at 7 p.m. celebrating the rowdy history of Cold Spring Harbor’s Main Street, once nicknamed Bedlam Street. Guests will enjoy delicious bites from local restaurants, rum tastings, historic then & now presentations with historian Robert Hughes, a presentation about the history of rum with Dr. Jennifer Anderson, craft-making, scavenger hunt and live music. Advance tickets are $40 per person, $50 at the door. Call 367-3418 or visit www.cshwhalingmuseum.org.
The Kat & Dave Show
Stony Brook University’s Staller Center for the Arts, 100 Nicolls Road, Stony Brook welcomes David Foster and Katherine McPhee to the Mian Stage for a performance of The Kat & Dave Show at 7 p.m. Join them for an intimate evening of the hits that have defined their incredible careers. Tickets range from $49 to $100. To order, call 632-2787 or visit www.stallercenter.com.
‘Singin In the Rain’
In honor of its 70th anniversary, Singin in the Rain will be screened at the Cinema Arts Centre, 423 Park Ave., Huntington on Nov. 29 at 7 p.m. with new digital restoration and an introduction by Philip Harwood. Gene Kelly shines as silent-movie idol Don Lockwood, whose career (and leading lady, hilariously played by Jean Hagen) is imperiled by the coming of sound – until he hooks up with lovely ingenue Debbie Reynolds. The brilliant supporting cast includes Donald O’Connor, Millard Mitchell, Douglas Fowley and the great Cyd Charisse, whose long-legged “Broadway Melody” ballet with Kelly nearly steals the show! Tickets are $15 Visit www.cinemaartscentre.org.
‘Noises Off’
The Theatres at Suffolk County Community College presents Noises Off by Michael Frayn at the Shea Theater, Islip Arts Building, 533 College Road, Selden on Nov. 25 and 26 at 7:30 p.m. and Nov. 27 at 2 p.m. Called the funniest farce ever written, Noises Off presents a manic menagerie of itinerant actors rehearsing a flop called Nothing’s On. *Mature Content* General admission: $14, Veterans and students 16 years of age or younger: $10, Suffolk students with current ID get one free ticket. To order, visit https://sunysuffolk.edu/spotlight or call 451-4163.
‘A Christmas Carol’
“I will honor Christmas in my heart…” Join Theatre Three, 412 Main St., Port Jefferson for its 38th annual production of A Christmas Carol in all of its thrills, music, joy, and spirit. from Nov. 12 to Dec. 30. Follow the miser Ebenezer Scrooge on a journey that teaches him the true meaning of Christmas — past, present and future. $20 tickets in November; December tickets are $35 adults, $28 seniors and students, $20 children ages 5 to 12. To order, call 928-9100 or visit www.theatrethree.com.
‘A Christmas Story’
The John W. Engeman Theater presents A Christmas Story, The Musical from Nov. 17 to Dec. 31. Nine-year-old Ralphie Parker only wants one thing for Christmas an Official Red Ryder carbine-action 200-shot Range Model air rifle. Rebuffed at every turn, Ralphie plots numerous schemes to achieve his desperate desire for the coveted BB gun. Based on the beloved movie, A Christmas Story, The Musical is the perfect holiday gift for the entire family! Tickets range from $80 to $85. To order, call 261-2900 or visit www.engemantheater.com.
‘Beauty and the Beast Jr.’
The Smithtown Performing Arts Center, 2 East Main St., Smithtown kicks off the holiday season with Disney’s Beauty and the Beast Jr. from Nov. 19 to Jan. 22 with a special sensory performance on Dec. 2 at 7 p.m. The classic story tells of Belle, a young woman in a provincial town, and the Beast, who is really a young prince trapped under the spell of an enchantress. If the Beast can learn to love and be loved, the curse will end and he will be transformed to his former self. But time is running out. If the Beast does not learn his lesson soon, he and his household will be doomed for all eternity. All seats are $25. To order, visit www.smithtownpac.org.
‘Nutcracker’
A perennial favorite, Seiskaya Ballet’s Nutcracker returns to Stony Brook University’s Staller Center for the Arts Main Stage, 100 Nicolls Road, Stony Brook for five performances from Dec. 17 to 19. The cast will be led by Seiskaya Ballet’s award winning Principal Dancer Maya Butkevich and 1st Soloists Vivian Ye, Madeleine Martufi, Nina Zhang and Kaede Urso. Tickets range from $34 to $40. To order, call 632-2787 or visit www.stallercenter.com.
‘A Christms Carol’
The Ministrel Players will present their annual holiday production of Charles Dickens’ A Christmas Carol at Trinity Episcopal Church’s Houghton Hall, 130 Main St., Northport on Dec. 9 and 10 at 8 p.m. and Dec. 11 at 3 p.m. Tickets are $20 adults, $15 seniors and students. To order, email [email protected].
* All numbers are in (631) area code unless otherwise noted
◆ Trinity Episcopal Church, 130 Main St., Northport seeks vendors for its annual St. Nicholas Bazaar on Dec. 3 from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Call 631-261-7670 for further details.
◆ Sachem Public Library, 150 Holbrook Road, Holbrook seeks craft vendors for its Holiday Night Market on Dec. 10 from 5:30 to 8:30 p.m. Call 631-588-5024.
◆ Three Village Historical Society, 93 North Country Road, Setauket seeks vendors for its first annual Three Village Winter Market, an outdoor holiday shopping experience, on Dec. 10 and 11 from 11 to 4 p.m. $100 for one day or $150 for both. Call 631-751-3730 or visit www.tvhs.org.
By Daniel Dunaief
Joseph “Bob” Annunziata, a resident of Kings Park, wants you not to be like him.
An army veteran, Annunziata urges residents and, in particular, other veterans, to pay attention to their medical needs and to take action when they find out they have a problem.
A self-described “tough guy” who grew up in Bay Ridge, Brooklyn, Annunziata put off medical care for a partially blocked left carotid artery and it caused a medical crisis.
“My brother and sister vets, if you got a pain or the doctor tells you to do something, do it,” he said. “It almost cost me my life. I don’t want that to happen to anyone else.”
Annunziata, 80, was driving to the supermarket on Veterans Day when his right hand became limp and he was slurring his speech. Knowing he was in trouble, he turned the car around and drove 10 minutes to the Northport VA Medical Center.
The doctors evaluated him and rushed him to Stony Brook University Hospital, which is well equipped to handle stroke-related emergencies and is the only hospital in the state named one of America’s 100 Best Hospitals for Stroke Care for eight years in a row.
Several doctors evaluated Annunziata, including by Dr. David Fiorella, Director of the Stony Brook Cerebrovascular Center and Co-Director of the Stony Brook Cerebrovascular and Comprehensive Stroke Center, and Jason Mathew, stroke neurologist.
“We identified that there was a severe blockage in the left side of his brain,” said Dr. Mathew. “If blood flow is not returned to this area, the patient is at risk for a larger area of stroke.”
Indeed, a larger stroke could have caused right side paralysis and could have robbed Annunziata of his ability to speak or worse.
Performing emergency surgery could protect endangered brain cells, but also presented some risk. If not removed carefully and completely, the clot in the carotid artery could travel into the brain or the stroke could expand over time due to a lack of sufficient blood flow to the left side of the brain.
Time pressure
Stony Brook doctors discussed the particulars of the case together and explained the situation to Annunziata, who could understand what they were describing and respond despite symptoms that threatened to deteriorate.
The hospital, which does between 200 and 250 interventional stroke treatments per year and handles many more strokes than that annually, has a group of health care specialists who can provide accessible information to patients who are not experts in the field and who need to make an informed decision under time pressure.
Stony Brook has become adept at “conveying this complex information in a time-sensitive way,” Dr. Fiorella said. In those cases for which surgery is the best option, each minute that the doctors don’t open up a blood vessel reduces the benefits and increases the risk of longer-term damage.
Stony Brook sees about one to two of these kinds of cases per month. As a whole, the hospital, which is a large referral center, sees numerous complex and unusual cerebrovascular cases of all types, Dr. Fiorella said.
Annunziata and the doctors decided to have the emergency surgery.
Dr. Fiorella used a balloon guiding catheter, which is a long tube with a working inner lumen that has a soft balloon on the outside of it that is designed to temporarily block flow. He deploys these occlusion balloons in most all stroke cases.
The particular way he used it in these complete carotid occlusions is unique. The balloon guiding catheter makes interventional stroke procedures more efficient, safer, and the outcomes better, according to data for thrombectomy, Dr. Fiorella said.
The occlusion balloon enabled Dr. Fiorella to control blow flow the entire time, which makes the procedure safer. The surgery took under an hour and involved a small incision in Annunziata’s right wrist.
After the surgery, Annunziata was able to speak to doctors and call Rosemarie Madrose, his girlfriend of five and a half years. “He came out talking,” said Madrose. “I could understand him. I was relieved.” Four days after the emergency operation, Annunziata, who also received post operative care from Dr. Yuehjien Gu, Neurocritical Care Unit Director, left the hospital and returned to his home, where he spent the next morning preparing a welcome meal of a scrambled egg and two slices of toast.
The doctors attribute Annunziata’s quick recovery to a host of factors. Getting himself to the hospital as soon as symptoms started saved precious minutes, Dr. Fiorella said, as “time is brain.” He also advised against driving for people having stroke-like symptoms, which can include slurred speech, numbness, weakening of the arm or leg and loss of vision in one eye.
Dr. Fiorella urged people to call for help or to get a ride in an ambulance. Stony Brook has two mobile stroke unit ambulances, which are equipped with technology to assess patients while en route, saving time and alerting doctors in the hospital to patients who might need immediate attention and intervention.
These mobile units, which are available from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m., have helped reduce death and disability for stroke and have cut down the length of stays in the hospital.
People or family and friends who are observing someone who might be having a stroke can call 911 and indicate that the patient is having stroke-like symptoms. The emergency operator will alert the mobile stroke unit of a possible case if the unit is available and the patient is in range.
Helping a veteran
The doctors involved in Annunziata’s care were well aware of the fact that they were treating a veteran on Veterans Day.
“Oftentimes, we think about how we can give back more than just a thank you” to people like Annunziata, who “risked his life and helped his country the way he could,” said Dr. Mathew. “I’m helping him the way I can help.”
Dr. Fiorella added that he thought it was “wonderful” to “help someone who’s given so much to our country on Veterans Day.”
Army origin
Annunziata explained that he wound up in the Army through a circuitous route. “We watched all the war movies” when he was young and wanted to join the Marines, he said.
When he went to enlist in 1962, he was told there was a two and a half year wait. He and his young friends got the same reception at the Air Force, Navy and the Army. As they were leaving the Army building on Whitehall Street, he and his friends ran into a sergeant with numerous medals on his uniform. The sergeant urged them to go back up the hallway and enter the first door on the right and indicate that they wanted to expedite the draft. About a week later, Annunziata was drafted and got a 15 cent token in the mail for a train trip to Wall Street.
After basic training at Fort Dix, he was stationed in Greenland, where Annunziata operated a radar at the top of a mountain for two years. He participated in drills in which he had to catch American planes flying overhead.
Fortunately, he said, even during the height of the Cold War and just months after the Cuban Missile Crisis, Annunziata never spotted a Russian threat, even though the base was just 20 minutes from Russian air space.
Having gone through emergency surgery that likely saved his life, Annunziata urges residents to pay attention to any medical needs on their radar.
Dr. Fiorella was amazed at how quickly Annunziata expressed concern for his fellow veterans during his recovery.
“One of the first things he talked about was, ‘How can I use what happened to me to help other vets?’” Dr. Fiorella said.
Annunziata’s girlfriend Madrose, who is grateful that the procedure saved his life, said he “didn’t listen to me. He knew he had to do this. I kept saying, ‘When are you going to do it?’ He said, ‘I will, I will, I will.’ He learned the hard way.” She added that they both know he is “extremely lucky.”
By Heidi Sutton
It’s beginning to look a lot like Christmas, especially at Theatre Three in Port Jefferson. While Scrooge undergoes a transformation on the Main Stage with A Christmas Carol, Barnaby the Elf is busy making sure all the Christmas presents are delivered on time in the adorable children’s musical, Barnaby Saves Christmas. The show opened last Saturday and runs through Dec. 30.
Written over 18 years ago by Douglas Quattrock and Jeffrey Sanzel with music and lyrics by Quattrock, it remains as relevant as ever with the ultimate message that “every day is a golden opportunity to be better than you used to be.”
It’s Christmas Eve and Santa’s workshop at the North Pole is a flurry of activity. Head elf Sam (Josie McSwane) and fellow elves Blizzard (Michelle LaBozzetta) and Crystal (Kaitlyn Jehle) are busy putting the final touches on the Christmas presents and loading them on the sleigh. A fourth elf, Barnaby (Ryan Worrell), is the newest trainee and has been given one task by Santa (Sean Amato) — to make a little stuffed bear with dark blue pants, buckles on his shoes and a bright yellow vest.
When it’s time to deliver the presents to all the good little girls and boys, Barnaby is left behind with Mrs. Claus (Danielle Pafundi). He soon realizes that Santa has left the stuffed bear behind and convinces Blizzard’s fawn Franklynne (Samantha Fierro) to find Santa and “save Christmas.”
On their adventure they crash land on the roof of the house of Sarah (Danielle Pafundi) and her nephew Andrew (Sean Amato) and learn all about Hanukkah and the Festival of Lights. They also come across S.B. (spoiled brat) Dombulbury (Steven Uihlein), a Scrooge in his own right who has stuffed up all the chimneys with coal with his partner in crime Irving (Jason Furnari), in order to ruin Christmas and has hypnotized Crystal and Blizzard to help him. With the help of his friends, Barnaby will save the day but just wait until you see how!
Directed by Sanzel, the entire cast does an incredible job telling this heartwarming story. The wonderful songs, accompanied on piano by Quattrock, are just lovely, with special mention to Worrell’s solo “Still With a Ribbon on Top,” Pafundi’s solo “Miracles” and Amato’s solo “Within Our Hearts.”
Gorgeous costumes that sparkle and shine for the holidays by Jason Allyn, the incredible lighting by Steven Uihlein and the great choreography by Sari Feldman tie it all together with a beautiful holiday bow. I can think of 100 reasons to go see this show but I will only give the first — it is an unforgettable experience the entire family will love. Elf and reindeer souvenirs will be sold before the show and during intermission and the entire cast will be in the lobby after the show for photos.
Theatre Three, 412 Main St., Port Jefferson presents Barnaby Saves Christmas on Nov. 26, Dec. 3, 10, 17, 24, 28, 29 and 20 at 11 a.m. Children’s theater continues with The House That Jack Built from Jan. 21 to Feb. 4, 2023 and Dorothy’s Adventures in Oz from Feb. 22 to March 18, 2023. All seats are only $10. To order, call 631-928-9100 or visit www.theatrethree.com.
In honor of its 70th anniversary, Singin in the Rain will be screened at the Cinema Arts Centre, 423 Park Ave., Huntington on Tuesday, Nov. 29 at 7 p.m. with new digital restoration. The film will be introduced by film historian and NYS librarian Philip Harwood, who will explore the importance of the classic movie to the history of cinema.
On a short list of the greatest screen musicals ever made, Singin’ in the Rain began with legendary MGM producer Arthur Freed giving screenwriters Betty Comden and Adolph Green a stack of songs he’d written early in his career (with partner Nacio Herb Brown) – including “Broadway Melody,” “You Are My Lucky Star” and the title song – with the simple request to weave a story around the numbers.
What emerged was a sublime marriage of song and dance, innocence and nostalgia, heart-tugging romance and surreal comedy (especially in co-star Donald O’Connor’s show-stopping “Make ’Em Laugh” routine). Co-director Gene Kelly shines as silent-movie idol Don Lockwood, whose career (and leading lady, hilariously played by Jean Hagen) is imperiled by the coming of sound – until he hooks up with lovely ingenue Debbie Reynolds. The brilliant supporting cast includes Millard Mitchell, Douglas Fowley and the great Cyd Charisse, whose long-legged “Broadway Melody” ballet with Kelly nearly steals the show!
Tickets are $15 per person at: https://bit.ly/
For more information, call 631-423-7610.
Suffolk County Crime Stoppers and Suffolk County Police First Squad detectives are seeking the public’s help to identify and locate two women who allegedly stole merchandise from an East Farmingdale store.
Two women allegedly stole approximately $1,500 worth of merchandise, including three electric scooters, a drone, and a hoverboard, from Target, located at 100 Willow Park, on August 4 at approximately 8 p.m.
Suffolk County Crime Stoppers offers a cash reward for information that leads to an arrest. Anyone with information about these incidents can contact Suffolk County Crime Stoppers to submit an anonymous tip by calling 1-800-220-TIPS, utilizing a mobile app which can be downloaded through the App Store or Google Play by searching P3 Tips, or online at www.P3Tips.com. All calls, text messages and emails will be kept confidential.
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