Suffolk County Police Fifth Squad detectives are investigating a motor vehicle crash that seriously injured a bicyclist in Holtsville on Jan. 7.
Thomas Velazquez was riding his bicycle northbound on North Ocean Avenue when he attempted to make a left turn, north of Jamaica Avenue, and was struck by a northbound 2007 Honda Civic driven by James Jacobs. Velazquez, 41, of Massapequa Park, was airlifted with serious injuries to Stony Brook University Hospital. Jacobs, 52, of Blue Point, was not injured. The vehicle was impounded for a safety check.
Anyone with information on this crash is asked to call the Fifth Squad at 631-854-8552.
Suffolk County Police arrested a Ridge man for leaving the scene of a motor vehicle crash that seriously injured a bicyclist in East Islip on Jan. 7. Aaron Kudla was riding his bicycle eastbound on Union Boulevard when he was struck by an eastbound Chrysler Concorde, near the intersection of Carleton Avenue, at 9:25 a.m. The vehicle fled the scene.
Kudla, 30, of Islip, was transported with serious injuries to South Shore University Hospital in Bay Shore. The driver, Scott Parker, and the Chrysler were located a short time later. The Chrysler was impounded. Parker, 33, of Ridge, was arrested and charged with Leaving the Scene of an Accident with Serious Injury.
A criminal charge is an accusation. A defendant is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty.
Ewes and Coos Felted will be at the Winter Holiday Market.
This January, the Reboli Center for Art and History is showcasing the whimsical, captivating creations of Shamma Murphy, a needle felting expert from Stony Brook. The Center is displaying a variety of her work, focusing on fanciful sheep and cows – “ewes and coos” (Scottish Highland cows that have long fur that hangs over their face), as well as other adorable creatures.
Shamma Murphy’s needle felted animals and flowers.
An experienced civil engineer, Murphy now works at a local horse farm promoting organic farming and gardening. A native of Port Washington, the artisan has lived in Stony Brook for more than 10 years. It is where she is raising her two teenagers and loves the sense of community that Stony Brook offers.
Murphy has always enjoyed making things and cross stitching and crocheting were her favorite winter hobbies until she discovered needle felting. Her passion for this craft has developed over the past two years. Murphy is fascinated by the process of needle felting.
“Poke a barbed needle into unspun wool as this ‘knits’ the fibers together compressing the wool into whatever shape you choose to sculpt. It is a dry process much like crocheting and knitting, using coarse wool in most cases. Wet felting, on the other hand, is ‘knitting’ the fibers together by agitating the wool with soapy water, and usually using a finer fiber like merino wool,” she said.
The supplies for this craft are wool and felting needles, which Murphy orders from England. She does get raw wool from a farm in Huntington that she processes herself.
According to Murphy, “I use wool that has been processed into a prespun form, one would use this to spin into yarn. Most of the time I use coarse wool with a high micron (fiber diameter) count. These types of wool needle felt quite nicely and you don’t see many needle marks at the end. For the finer coat of an animal, I will use a very fine merino wool, it is quite delicate, and due to its low micron count, it is rather difficult to needle felt well. The wool locks (wool that is delicately washed without any agitation, this enables the wool to keep its form) are from two different farms, one in New Jersey and the other in upstate New York, all are hand dyed by the shepherdess. Goat mohair locks and a tiny bit of alpaca is also locally sourced.”
Murphy is honored to be selected as artisan of the month. She noted that she never thought of herself as an artisan, but just enjoys crafting and creating cute things. She met Lois Reboli, founder and president of The Reboli Center, at the Center, and when Lois saw her beautiful and delightful pieces, she invited Murphy to be an artisan of the month.
The community will have a chance to meet Murphy at the Reboli Center’s Third Friday of the Month series on Jan. 20 from 6:30 to 7:30 p.m. Murphy will be the featured guest speaker at this free event and will discuss needle felting, sourcing sustainable materials, different types of fibers and provide a demonstration of her craft. A Q&A will follow. The Center will also sell kits for guests to purchase to make a felted heart – just in time for Valentine’s Day.
The Reboli Center is located at 64 Main Street in Stony Brook, and is open Tuesdays to Saturday from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. and on Sundays from 1 to 5 p.m. Admission is free. For more information, call 631-751-7707 or visit www.rebolicenter.org.
Suffolk County Police arrested two women for alleged unlawful practice of a profession and prostitution during a raid at a massage parlor in Commack on Jan. 5.
In response to community complaints, Suffolk County Fourth Precinct Anticrime, Community Support Unit, Fourth Squad detectives, Property Section officers, and Smithtown Public Safety/Fire Marshal conducted an investigation at Lily Spa, located at 649 Commack Road, at approximately 2:45 p.m. The Smithtown Fire Marshal issued 20 violations for fire code and building offenses. The Smithtown Building Department Inspector deemed the unit unsafe for business for electrical violations.
Jingru Liu, 45, of Flushing, Queens, and Changrong Li, 43, of Fresh Meadows, were each charged with Unauthorized Practice of a Profession and Prostitution. Both women were given a Field Appearance Ticket and will be arraigned at First District Court in Central Islip on another date.
A criminal charge is an accusation. A defendant is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty.
Suffolk County Police Major Case Unit detectives are investigating a hit-and-run crash that seriously injured a man in Selden on Jan. 4.
Isaac Ramirez, 18, of Selden was traveling southbound on an electric bicycle on Dare Road, near 13th Street, was struck by a vehicle also traveling southbound, at 9:52 p.m. The driver fled the scene, continuing southbound on Dare Road. Ramirez was transported to Stony Brook University Hospital for treatment of serious injuries.
Detectives are asking anyone with information on this crash to call Crime Stoppers at 1-800-220- TIPS. All calls will be kept confidential.
Susan Walsh Lauria, Eileen Anders and Penny Ferraro at the Northport Library. Photo from Friends of the Northport-East Northport Public Library
By Julianne Mosher
Penny Ferraro spent her entire adulthood in Port Washington. When her children moved east, the newly widowed Ferraro decided to start a new life in Northport and get involved within her community.
Eileen Anders, center, gets ready to dig at the East Northport Library with Friends of the Library members Penny Ferraro, left, and Doreen Earl, right. Photo from Friends of the Northport-East Northport Public Library
Five years ago, she joined the Friends of the Northport-East Northport Public Library group where she met Eileen Anders.
The first thing Ferraro noticed about Anders was that she was “a quiet, constant presence,” who could lead a group, but also was one to follow suit.
“If you come up with an idea, she’s right there,” Ferraro said. “She’s a team player.”
Anders, a retired public-school teacher from East Northport, is known locally for her involvement with several different causes. A past secretary of the Friends of the Library, she is also heavily involved with the Huntington Historical Society, the Long Island Horticultural Society, the Heckscher Museum and more.
For her active devotion to local horticulture and history, TBR News Media names Anders as a 2022 Person of the Year.
“I have known Eileen for several years as we meet at a Friends of the Northport-East Northport Public Library meeting,” said Susan Eckert, of Northport, and a 2021 TBR News Media Person of the Year. “At her suggestion, I also joined the Long Island Horticultural Society. We have since gone together to garden and house tours and other cultural and artistic events.”
Eckert said that Anders’ love for teaching followed her into retirement where she continues to educate people in her role as a volunteer.
“She’s so active in her community in different organizations throughout Nassau and Suffolk,” she said. “It’s wonderful she shares her knowledge about gardening with us.”
Ferraro agreed. In the few years she’s known Anders through the different nonprofits and organizations they volunteer with together, she said that she is always ready to tackle a mission and does it with a smile.
For example, last year the Friends of the Library decided to start what would be a two-year task of planting daffodil bulbs in the courtyards of the Northport and East Northport libraries. A small handful got together last year to plant 100 bulbs – 50 in each location. When 2022 came a year later, several factors came in the way of having the same number of volunteers – rainstorms, scheduling and illnesses. Ferraro said that Anders didn’t mind and the two took it upon themselves to plant another 100.
Eckert said that her colleague’s love for horticulture goes beyond the courtyards of the local libraries. Anders is a master gardener who has conducted workshops on gardening through programs sponsored by Cornell Cooperative Extension, and is on the board of directors at the Long Island Horticultural Society where she at one time coordinated the monthly program.
Anders is also a history buff who conducts tours at Planting Fields Arboretum’s Coe Hall mansion in Oyster Bay, volunteers as a docent in training at the Heckscher Museum in Huntington, is a former tour guide at Sagamore Hill in Oyster Bay and is a current member of Preservation Long Island.
Just recently, Ferraro mentioned that Anders, who again will drop what she’s doing to help out the cause, joined at the last minute to volunteer at the Holiday Historic House Tour with the Huntington Historical Society.
This volunteerism impresses Ferraro. “Volunteering is important because we can’t get things done by ourselves,” she said. “You need to have a group of people who are passionate about certain issues and ideas.”
And she believes Anders does just that.
“She epitomizes contributions to the community without grandstanding which is absolutely amazing,” Ferraro said. “Eileen has energy, stamina, intelligence, curiosity and everything going for her that makes her a very valuable person to our community.”
Catch a screening of 'Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles' at the CAC on Jan. 8.
PROGRAMS
Crafternoons at the library
Stop by Emma S. Clark Memorial Library, 120 Main St., Setauket on Jan. 7 anytime between 1:30 to 3:30 p.m. to make a fun craft.Children ages 3 to 12 welcome (younger kids may need supervision). No registration required. Questions? Call 941-4080.
Trout Birthday Celebration
Head over to the Cold Spring Harbor Fish Hatchery, 1660 Route 25A, Cold Spring Harbor for a Trout Birthday Celebration on Jan. 8 between 10 a.m. and 5 p.m. Meet the hatchery’s baby trout and don’t forget to bring a birthday card for the fish! Hatchery admission is $7 adults, $6 seniors and $5 children ages 3 to 12. Call 516-692-6768 for more information.
Fossil Finds
Sunken Meadow State Park, Sunken Meadow Parkway, Kings Park presents a Tiny Tots program, Fossil Finds, on Jan. 12 from 10:30 to 11:30 a.m. This program will connect children and their parents with nature through short walks, animal visitors, and crafts. For ages 3 to 5. $4 per child. Register at www.eventbrite.com or call 269-5351.
THEATER
‘The House That Jack Built’
Theatre Three, 412 Main St. Port Jefferson welcomes the New Year with The House That Jack Built, a delightful collection of stories, specially adapted for the youngest audiences from Jan. 21 to Feb. 4 with a sensory sensitive performance on Jan. 22. Inspired by the Brothers Grimm and Aesop’s Fables, the seven stories include The Fisherman and His Wife, Henny Penny, The Town Mouse and the Country Mouse, The Bremen Town Musicians, Stubborn as a Mule, The Lion and the Mouse That Returned a Favor, and The Tortoise and the Hare. This original musical features bold storytelling and a tuneful new score! Tickets are $10. To order, call 928-9100 or visit www.theatrethree.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 including Dec. 26 to Dec. 30 at 1 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.
Disney’s ‘Frozen Jr.’
The John W. Engeman Theater, 250 Main St., Northport continues its children’s theater with Disney’s Frozen Jr. on Saturdays at 11 a.m. and Sundays at 10:30 a.m. from Feb. 4 to March 5. When faced with danger, princesses Anna and Elsa discover their hidden potential and the powerful bond of sisterhood. This enchanting musical features all of the memorable songs from the hit Disney film and will thaw even the coldest heart! All seats are $20. To order, call 261-2900 or visit www.engemantheater.com.
FILM
‘Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles’
The Cinema Arts Centre, 423 Park Ave., Huntington continues its Cinema for Kids! series with a screening of Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles on Jan. 8 at noon. In New York, mysterious radioactive ooze has mutated four sewer turtles into talking, upright-walking, crime-fighting ninjas. The intrepid heroes – Michelangelo (Robbie Rist), Donatello (Corey Feldman), Raphael (Josh Pais) and Leonardo (Brian Tochi) – are trained in the Ninjutsu arts by their rat sensei, Splinter. When a villainous rogue ninja, who is a former pupil of Splinter, arrives and spreads lawlessness throughout the city, it’s up to the plucky turtles to stop him. Rated PG. Tickets are $12 adults, $5 children at www.cinemaartscentre.org.
Award winning violinist Filip Pogady, above, joins virtuoso pianist Vassily Primakov in Ridotto’s New Year’s concert The Kreutzer Sonata on Jan. 8. Credit Fancy Box Photo 2021
Thursday Jan. 5
Disaster Preparedness program
Northport Public Library, 151 Laurel Ave., Northport will host a Disaster Preparedness program by the New York National Guard’ Citizen Preparedness Corps at 6:30 p.m. New York National Guard service members will discuss developing a family emergency plan, what to do in the case of an active shooter situation, stocking up on supplies, and registering for NY-Alert, the free, statewide emergency alert system. Participants will receive the knowledge and tools to help prepare for emergencies, respond accordingly, and recover as quickly as possible. Open to all. Register by calling 261-6930.
Friday Jan. 6
Game Day at the Library
New! Emma Clark Library, 120 Main St., Setauket will now be offering Game Days for adults every Friday from 10 a.m. to noon. The Library provides the space, tables, and chairs, and participants may bring their friends and a favorite board or card game to the Vincent R. O’Leary Community Room on the Library’s lower level to play. The Library also has 2 Mahjong sets available upon request (you must supply your own cards). No registration required. Questions? Email [email protected] or call 631-941-4080.
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, Jan. 7 and 8 from 5:30 to 9:30 p.m. 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. Tickets are $22 per person, $12 ages 3 to 12. To order, visit https://www.showclix.com/tickets/suffolk-winter-lantern-festival. Call 265-6768.
Saturday Jan. 7
Winter Lantern Festival
See Jan. 6 listing.
Caleb Smith Hike
Join the staff at Caleb Smith State Park Preserve, 581 W. Jericho Turnpike, Smithtown for a New Year’s hike to explore the meandering trails of the park from 10:30 a.m. to noon. Bring a camera for some winter wonderland pictures. Dress for the weather. $4 per person. Call 265-1054 for reservations.
Whaleboat Chats
The Whaling Museum & Education Center, 301 Main St., Cold Spring Harbor kicks off itsnew monthly “Whale Boat Chats” surrounding the star of the museum’s permanent collection, the 19th century whaleboat Daisy, at noon and again at 1 p.m. These educator-led gallery talks around the whaleboat will share the story of whaling on Long Island and in Cold Spring Harbor specifically. Visitors will learn that people have been hunting whales here on Long Island for thousands of years. Free with admission to the museum of $6 adults, $5 children and seniors. Call 367-3418.
Sunday Jan. 8
Port Jefferson Farmers Market
The Port Jefferson Winter Farmers Market kicks off today at the Port Jefferson Village Center, 101 E. Broadway, Port Jefferson from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. and will be held every Sunday through April 30. For more information, call 473-4778.
Huntington Farmers Market
The John J. Flanagan Center, 423 Park Ave., Huntington hosts the Huntington Winter Farmers Market every Sunday from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. through March with over 40 vendors plus guest vendors. Visit www.longislandfarmersmarkets.com.
Caumsett Park Hike
Caumsett State Historic Park Preserve, 25 Lloyd Harbor Road, Huntington hosts a 5-mile hike through the center section of the park from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. $4 per person. Call 423-1770 for reservations.
Randy Jackson
Randy Jackson in concert
The Long Island Music and Entertainment Hall of Fame, 97 Main St., Stony Brook welcomes Randy Jackson Randy Jackson from the band Zebra in concert at 2 p.m. Jackson will be performing to kick off the New Year performing a solo acoustic set on the main stage in the Exhibition Hall. Free for members; non-members is included with regular admission ticket; no extra charge. More details and for tickets visit: https://www.limusichalloffame.org/tickets-and-gift-cards/
Ridotto concert
Ridotto (concerts with a touch of theater) continues its 31st season at the Huntington Jewish Center, 510 Park Ave., Huntington with a performance of Beethoven’s Kreutzer Sonata by virtuoso violinist Filip Pogady and pianist Vassily Primakov with narration and slides by Margaretha Maimone at 4 p.m. Tickets are $35, $30 seniors, $25 members $12 students. For reservations, call 385-0373, or email [email protected]
Monday Jan. 9
Community Blood Drive
Got a little time to spare? Spend it saving lives! Temple Beth El, 660 Park Ave., Huntington hosts a Community Blood Drive today from 2 to 8 p.m. Call 421-5835 or email [email protected] for more information.
Film Noir Classics
Join the Cinema Arts Centre, 423 Park Ave., Huntington for a screening of the Film Noir Classic, Where the Sidewalk Ends (1950) with a post-film discussion hosted by Professor Foster Hirsch at 7:30 p.m. Tickets are $17 at www.cinemaartscentre.org.
Tuesday Jan. 10
NSJC Social Club event
North Shore Jewish Center Social Club, 385 Old Town Road, Port Jefferson Station welcomes Dr. Sara Danzi, Associate professor of Biology at Queensborough Community College in Bayside, to the Social Hall at 11 a.m. Dr. Danzi will provide a beginner’s view of the Human Genome and human origins. Bagels, cream cheese and coffee among other refreshments will be served. $5 per person, $3 members. Call 928-3737 for more information.
Weaving with Wine
The Huntington Historical Society will hold a Beginner Weaving workshop at the Conklin Barn, 2 High St., Huntington from 6 to 8:30 p.m. In the era before the advent of factories, skilled weavers spun flax and wool into yarn for clothing. This fun program offers a chance to learn to weave using a traditional manual table loom. At the end of class, you will have a piece of fabric to bring home. You supply the wine, they will provide the weaving, glasses and light refreshments. $45 per person. To register, call 427-7045 x 404 or email [email protected].
Wednesday Jan. 11
No events listed for this day.
Thursday Jan. 12
Lunch & Learn
Huntington Historical Society kicks off its Lunch & Learn series in the new year with Reflections on Women in Long Island at Encore Luxury Living, 300 Jericho Turnpike, Jericho from noon to 1:30 p.m. Dr. Natalie Naylor will present an overview of Long Island women’s roles in colonial settlements, the Revolution, religion and community activities. Lunch will be served. $50 per person, $45 members. RSVP by Jan. 9 at www.huntingtonhistoricalsociety.org.
Movie Trivia Night
Join the Whaling Museum of Cold Spring Harbor for a virtual Movie Trivia Night at 7 p.m. Casual film lovers and buffs are invited to join the museum staff online for a night of cinematic fun. From Seinfeld to Star Wars, enjoy trivia about people, places, music, and famous maritime moments inspired by TV and film. Work solo, or form a team for the chance to win Narwhal Ball tickets and guest passes. $10 suggested donation. Visit www.cshwhalingmuseum.org.
Join the Cinema Arts Centre for a Sky Room Talk about Elvis on Jan. 12.
Sky Room Talk
Join the Cinema Arts Centre, 423 Park Ave., Huntington for a Sky Room Talk titled Elvis Movies: A Closer Look at 8 p.m. Could you see Elvis Presley cast as Hamlet or Abraham Lincoln? The words “Elvis Movie” conjures up images of a Technicolor Elvis singing for surfer girls, children and animals. Elvis Presley’s better films display memorable, stellar filmmaking, and some remarkable, often believable performances by the King of Rock and Roll. Film historian Glenn Andreiev returns to the Cinema with a fresh look at those enjoyable and sometimes surprising Elvis Presley movies. Tickets are $17. Visit www.cinemaartscentre.org.
Theater
‘Mostly True Things’
The Performing Arts Studio, 224 East Main St., Port Jefferson presents (Mostly) True Things on Jan. 7 at 7 p.m. Hosted by Jude Treder-Wolff, the show features 4 true stories but 3 of them include subtle little lies. In the second act, the audience questions the storytellers, then votes for the person they think told it straight. Winners get a tote bag, and the whole truth about each story is shared before the end of the evening. Tickets are $15 online at Eventbrite or $20 at the door (cash only). Visit www.mostlytruethings.com.
‘The Sweet Delilah Swim Club’
Theatre Three, 412 Main St., Port Jefferson continues its Mainstage season with The Sweet Delilah Swim Club from Jan. 14 to Feb. 4. This hilarious and touching show features five very different but deeply connected Southern women whose friendships began on their college swim team. Each summer they meet for a reunion at the same beach cottage in the Outer Banks of North Carolina. Visiting them on four weekends over thirty-three years, we learn of their lives, loves, and losses. Tickets are $35 adults, $28 seniors and students, $20 children ages 5 to 12. To order, call 928-9100 or visit www.theatrethree.com.
‘Dirty Rotten Scoundrels’
The John W. Engeman Theater, 250 Main St.. Northport presents Dirty Rotten Scoundrels from Jan. 19 to March 5. Con artist Lawrence Jameson is a longtime resident of a luxurious coastal resort, where he enjoys the fruits of his deceptions–that is, until a competitor, Freddy Benson, shows up. When the new guy’s lowbrow tactics impinge on his own work, Jameson resolves to get rid of him. Based on the uproarious movie, Dirty Rotten Scoundrels boasts a jazzy-pop score by David Yazbek, who also wrote the music for The Full Monty. Tickets range from $80 to $85. To order, call 261-2900 or visit www.engemantheater.com.
Film
‘The Mummy’
As part of its Night Owl Cinema series, the Cinema Arts Centre, 423 Park Ave., Huntington presents a screening of The Mummy (1999) on Jan. 6 at 9:30 p.m. Brendan Fraser and Rachel Weisz star in the cult classic that follows adventurer Rick O’Connell (Fraser), who discovers the hidden ruins of Hamunaptra. Returning with an archaeological expedition, the mummy of High Priest Imhotep wakes after 3,000 years and begins to wreak havoc as he searches for the reincarnation of his long-lost love. Tickets are $15 per person. Visit www.cinemaartscentre.org.
‘Jerry & Marge Go Large’
Northport Public Library, 151 Laurel Ave., Northport will screen Jerry & Marge Go Large on Jan. 6 at 2 p.m. Based on the true story about long married couple Jerry and Marge Selbee who win the lottery and use the money to revive their small town. Starring Bryan Cranston and Annette Bening. Rated PG-13. To register, call 261-6930.
* All numbers are in (631) area code unless otherwise noted.
Earlier this year, Hope Kinney, left, shown with Herb Mones, Three Village Community Trust president, was able to secure a $4,000 grant from her employer, Investors Bank, to help restore the immigrant factory houses in Setauket. Photo from Three Village Community Trust
Hope Kinney is a familiar face in the Three Village area.
Hope Kinney collecting donations for The Salvation Army. File photo
Whether at an event organized by the Rotary Club of Stony Brook, Three Village Community Trust, local chamber of commerce or working with students and businesses with the Three Village Industry Advisory Board, residents will see Kinney there with a smile on her face, scurrying around to help out.
For her dedication to her community, Kinney is one of TBR News Media’s People of the Year.
The admiration is mutual. Suffolk County Legislator Kara Hahn (D-Setauket) nominated Kinney for Suffolk County Woman of Distinction in the 5th Legislative District in 2020.
“Hope Kinney’s impact is ingrained within many of the layers that comprise our community,” the legislator wrote in an email. “From her highly visible leadership role with, and on behalf of, local business to her continual support of organizations committed to societal improvement, Hope is dedicated to serving neighbors and community with purpose. There is so much to honor Hope Kinney for, and I believe, this recognition translates our thankful community’s gratitude into celebration of her uplifting and selfless spirit.”
For years, Kinney has been involved with the now-defunct Three Village Kiwanis Club and Rotary Club of Stony Brook. She became the president of the latter in the summer of 2020 and took on the challenge of organizing club events while navigating the COVID-19 pandemic. She scheduled Zoom meetings, and as more businesses were able to open up planned socially distanced lunches. She also put together a virtual online fundraiser for the Port Jefferson-based nonprofit Give Kids Hope, which provides food and clothing for local residents in need.
For the last three years, the rotary club has organized the Three Village Holiday Electric Parade. During the pandemic, due to COVID-19 restrictions, a drive-thru version of the event was held at Ward Melville High School.
Judi Wallace, treasurer of the rotary club, credits Kinney for keeping the organization going during the pandemic. She described Kinney as “a wonderful person” and “super community oriented.”
“Three Village means everything to her,” Wallace said.
Kinney is always looking for ways the rotary can assist individuals or groups who have a need in the area, Wallace said.
She added, “Hope is always thinking and always coming up with great ideas in order to do things in the community.”
Wallace said it was Kinney who brought back the 5K race organized by rotary and The Bench in Stony Brook.
“She just comes up with an idea and follows through, and that’s the most important thing in the world,” Wallace said.
The same year Kinney became president of the rotary club, she joined the Three Village Community Trust board and is currently its treasurer.
Herb Mones, president of TVCT, said it’s refreshing and a big help to a volunteer-based organization such as TVCT to have someone such as Kinney who is always ready to chip in when asked.
“She is always the first to say, ‘I can do that,’ and helps and takes on different responsibilities when the need is there,” he said. “She does it in an upbeat, happy way of feeling that she is contributing and helping the community.”
Hope Kinney standing in front of the Rotary Club truck in Hicksville about to receive 4,000 masks in 2020. Photo from Hope Kinney
She was recently able to secure a $4,000 grant through her employer, Investors Bank, which will go toward the restoration of the immigrant factory houses in Setauket. Kinney has also spearheaded the trust’s gala in November, which Mones said is the most successful fundraiser for TVCT.
“She’s always got an ear to the community and understands things that are going on and that becomes very helpful in so many different ways,” Mones said.
Kinney juggles all her volunteer roles while working full-time as the branch manager at Investors Bank, formerly Gold Coast Bank, at its Setauket location on Route 25A.
Kinney started her banking career at Capital One in 2004. When the bank had layoffs in 2018, she was recruited by John Tsunis, Gold Coast’s founder, as branch manager.
In a 2020 interview with The Village Times Herald, Kinney talked about balancing her career and volunteerism with spending time with her husband, Joseph, and three children Justin, Michael and Rachel. To handle all her responsibilities, she said she tries to stay organized and not get overwhelmed.
“I take it day by day,” Kinney said. “I put it on the calendar, and I’m able to look at the calendar and then I go day by day … I guess that’s the secret — work with each day.”
Jennifer McNaughton, center, in a recent photo with her sons Ryan, left, and James. Photo from McNaughton family
A late November day in Western New York saw temperatures drop into the 20s with the wind chill making it feel close to zero.
Jennifer McNaughton with her boys when they were younger. Photo from the McNaughton family
Leftover snow from one of the biggest blizzards in modern history whistled around the football stadium at St. Francis High School in Hamburg in suburban Buffalo and there were no amounts of hot cocoa, blankets or layers of clothing that could make the conditions close to bearable.
Adding to the misery, the St. Anthony’s Friars football team that sat on a cold, dark bus for seven hours in search of a New York State Catholic championship, was getting destroyed — losing by 20 at halftime.
Despite this frozen hellscape of a situation Nov. 30, there was no other place Jennifer McNaughton, a St. Anthony’s Friars mom, would rather have been.
McNaughton, of East Northport, has two sons, Ryan and James. Ryan is a sophomore and plays on the offensive line for the Friars and senior James is currently one of the most successful long-distance runners on Long Island as a member of all three Northport Tigers track and field teams. Jennifer has always been extremely active in their academic and athletic careers from the time that they were small.
There’s a Mrs. McNaughton, or a Jen, in every town in America. You know — the mom who knows the correct link to order the gear, has practice and game schedules committed to memory, and always carts around a well-stocked cooler of Gatorade in the back of her truck.
From Cub Scouts den mother to Northport Tigers cross country booster club president to football mom, she is especially busy during the fall sports season, traipsing around the tristate area every weekend to support both of her boys. She is involved with several charitable endeavors and is one of the most well-liked and respected citizens of Northport.
Around the village, McNaughton cannot walk a short distance without someone stopping her to say hello, ask her a question or just shoot the breeze. But in late August, with the 2022-23 school year just days away, she started to have trouble walking a few feet for any reason at all and would lose her breath doing the simplest of tasks. After a few days of this, she and her husband, James, decided it was time for her to see the doctor.
The news was not good.
She was diagnosed with massive bilateral pulmonary embolism, in which hundreds of tiny clots impede blood flow in her lungs. Left unchecked, this disease is often fatal and even when checked, it can have extremely negative outcomes. Her first thought was about her family.
“It was James’ senior season and Ryan had made it on to one of the best football teams on Long Island and there was so much good coming to our family this year,” McNaughton recalled thinking in the doctor’s office. “Instead, everyone would remember it as ‘the year that mom died.’ That was very difficult for me to come to grips with.”
Her sons were not thinking about their athletic careers when they learned of her diagnosis.
“My mother has gotten me to the place where I am today,” said Ryan, who is one of a handful of underclassman to get starting reps for the Friars in 2022. “She has supported my brother and I for as long as we can remember in every conceivable way. When they told us what she had, it really knocked us off our feet. We weren’t expecting it to be something so serious. We were stunned.”
After a five-night hospital stay, where she was administered a course of blood thinners, McNaughton’s condition started to abate, and she was able to ease into normal activities around mid-September. Many of these activities entail getting her boys to where they need to be. But make no mistake about this — James and Ryan do not just compete at places like Hauppauge, Connetquot or Longwood like most Suffolk County high school athletes.
Jennifer McNaughton with her sons when they were younger. Photo from the McNaughton family
Ryan, who comes in the form of a sandy-haired, blue-eyed wrestler, had a stretch of four straight road football games that spanned September and October. Jen and husband James made stops in Piscataway, New Jersey; Rockland County; and the Bronx — twice. She saw every snap.
For James, who is a wiry and reed-thin 6 feet, 2 inches tall with dark eyes and wavy, jet-black hair, the mother routinely traveled to the Armory in Upper Manhattan; the Ocean Breeze Athletic Complex in Staten Island; and even as far as Cicero, which is near Syracuse and is a six-hour drive.
“Whether I run well or don’t run well, it’s always good to know she’s there supporting me,” said Northport senior James, who was the fastest Long Island runner at the New York State cross country championships last month. His mother’s illness “was a huge shock and not something any of us contemplated dealing with. It felt like everything was going upside down.”
Upside down or not, Jennifer McNaughton was determined not to let this setback interfere with her boys and their sports or her other business and philanthropic pursuits. She was moving forward.
“I started to feel better, and I love watching my boys compete,” she said. “I also love being with the other parents who are supporting the teams because it’s like being in a family. These are the moments that I live for.”
Currently on a maintenance program with the blood thinners and her condition improved, she’s intent on organizing cross country team dinners and acting as emcee for raffles at Napper Tandy’s Northport, raising money for charities like the St. Baldrick’s Foundation for pediatric cancer whose Northport chapter has raised over $6 million since its inception in 2002.
She’s also a volunteer for Splashes of Hope, which supports county homeless shelters, veterans centers and children’s hospitals through the appreciation of art; and the Barbara Frost Community Fund, which raises money for underprivileged kids in Northport and is named for the beloved teacher at Bellerose Elementary who was killed by a drunk driver in 1993.
On top of these acts of philanthropy, McNaughton has since rebooted her successful party planning and private bookkeeping businesses that had been on pause.
Her friend and fellow Northport mom, Patricia Campoli, is happy to see McNaughton undertaking the things she loves to do.
“Between running a household, her jobs, volunteer work and her two boys, I really don’t know how she does it, said Campoli, whose two sons, Michael and Christian, are on the Northport Tigers football team. “She is so full of knowledge on everything that happens in the community, and she is a wonderful person and a great friend who does everything with a smile on her face. I’m so happy she’s back because I know she loves doing as much as she can, and we love having her here.”
McNaughton has reasons to smile. “I feel so lucky to still be alive,” she said. “I get up every morning and I cry tears of joy and thank God that I’m still here to do the things I took for granted before my illness.”
For her family, and all the people whose lives she touches around the village, they too feel lucky. As a little bit of added fortune, the St. Anthony’s football team overcame that three-touchdown deficit from St. Francis to win the state Catholic championship, 27-20, on that snowy day near Buffalo — some delicious icy frosting on the 2022 McNaughton family cake.
There are many aspects to Jennifer McNaughton’s benevolent work for the Northport community and her devotion to family, especially in the face of her recent illness, which is why TBR News Media names her a Person of the Year for 2022.
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