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Authors Posts by Rita J. Egan

Rita J. Egan

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Work proposed for the end of this year will eliminate the access ramp from 25A onto Nicolls Road from eastbound Route 25A. Photo from Google Maps

Due to consistent resident complaints, Suffolk County is planning to start work on easing traffic concerns on the northern part of Nicolls Road sometime by the end of the year. The planning has been several years in the making.

A recurrent issue for travelers on Nicolls Road has been drivers weaving quickly to the left lane when coming from eastbound Route 25A to make a left onto Lower Sheep Pasture Road.

William Hillman, Suffolk County Department of Public Works chief engineer, attended the Feb. 3 Three Village Civic Association meeting to discuss changes planned for the county road.

“It’s a relatively simple project,” he said. “Vehicles traveling eastbound to go south on Nicolls Road — many of them weave across to make the left on Lower Sheep Pasture Road. Simultaneously, someone who has made a left from 25A, quite often there’s conflicts there. We’re looking to eliminate that.”

He said the slip ramp on Route 25A approaching Nicolls will be removed, bringing a right-turn lane up to the signal. The only time the right-turn lane will stop is when the left-turn lane on the westbound side has the green arrow.

“About 80 percent of the cycle is green for this movement, so it’s only 20 percent that it would be stopped,” Hillman said. “From a capacity standpoint, it will have very little effect.”

The chief engineer said while Route 25A is a state highway, the county received a permit to remove the access ramp due to it causing problems on the county road.

Daniel Dresch, assistant chief engineer, said the lane will be about 450 feet long. When asked if a study was done regarding traffic on Route 25A, he said it wasn’t undertaken due to it being a state road, and instead the county focused on remedying the problems on Nicolls.

“It’s well outside of the scope of what we can do,” Dresch said.

However, the county has conducted a study of the area at Nicolls Road, Hillman said. During the morning peak hour, between 8 and 9 a.m., about 600 cars make the right from 25A. In the same hour, approximately 130 vehicles then make a left onto Lower Sheep Pasture Road.

Civic members asked what may happen to pedestrian crossings.

Hillman said the changes will improve pedestrian safety due to the county eliminating the slip ramp. Suffolk will also construct sidewalks from the north entrance of Stony Brook University up to 25A on the west side of Nicolls and a sidewalk on the east side as well.

Members also questioned Hillman and Dresch about bicyclists. Hillman believes the removal of the slip will help cyclists heading eastbound on 25A due to not having the conflict with drivers making a right before the light.

Those in attendance also used the opportunity to ask about possible plantings in the median, and if the civic association could help. Hillman said while community members can’t legally work on medians and islands, which are considered part of the road, members can sponsor landscaping work on the spaces.

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Anson Seaman

Anson B. Seaman, of East Setauket, died Dec. 19. He was 77.

He was born Nov. 23, 1942, in Mineola, and was the son of Euphemia and Anson Seaman.

Anson “Bruce” was a retired sales manager for Reserve Supply Lumber Company. He was also a member of St. George’s Golf Club.

Left to cherish his memory are his wife, Lana; daughters Melissa and Dorothy; son, Ronald; three grandchildren; two great-grandchildren; sister, Lorna; brother, Kevin; along with many other family and friends.

Services were held at St. James R.C. Church Dec. 27. Committal services followed at the St. James Churchyard Cemetery.

Arrangements were entrusted to the Bryant Funeral Home of East Setauket. People can visit www.bryantfh.com to sign the online guest book.

Ilse Bayer

Ilse Bayer, of Kings Park, died Dec. 16. She was 100.

She was born May 3, 1919, in Germany, the daughter of Helen and Max Stein.

Ilse was a retired industrial engineer and she enjoyed gardening and spending time with family.

She is survived by her sons, Juergen (Carol) and Dirk (Juanite); five grandchildren; nine great-grandchildren, along with many other family and friends.

She was preceded in death by husband, Walter, and son, Lutz.

Services were held at the Bryant Funeral Home, Dec. 21. Interment was at the Pinelawn Memorial Park in Farmingdale.

Arrangements were entrusted to the Bryant Funeral Home of East Setauket. People can visit www.bryantfh.com to sign the online guest book.

Ruth Levy

Ruth Shelby Levy (Borak), of Stony Brook, passed away Dec. 12. She was 82. 

She was the beloved wife of the late Earl S. Levy and daughter of the late Mollie (Rosenblum) and Henry Borak. 

In addition, she was the loving mother of Jennie Ossentjuk (Eric), Melissa Knott (Rich) and Adam Levy (Yelena); the cherished grandmother of Jessica, Brian, Erinn, Benjamin, Max, Allie, Elana and Alexa; and great-grandmother of Valerie.    

The family gathered at Bryant Funeral Home Dec. 16 with a religious service at 10:30 a.m. with Rabbi Ronnie Kehati officiating. Interment followed at Calverton National Cemetery.   

Donations to the Association for Frontotemporal Degeneration at https://www.theaftd.org/ in her memory would be appreciated.

Arrangements were entrusted to the Bryant Funeral Home of East Setauket. People can visit www.bryantfh.com to sign the online guest book.

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Children, parents and grandparents helped to erect the Old City of Jerusalem using LEGO pieces at Village Chabad Feb. 3. Photo by Rita J. Egan
Children, parents and grandparents helped to erect the Old City of Jerusalem using LEGO pieces at Village Chabad Feb. 3. Photo by Rita J. Egan
Children, parents and grandparents helped to erect the Old City of Jerusalem using LEGO pieces at Village Chabad Feb. 3. Photo by Rita J. Egan
Children, parents and grandparents helped to erect the Old City of Jerusalem using LEGO pieces at Village Chabad Feb. 3. Photo by Rita J. Egan
Members of Village Chabad take in the final project. Dozens of children helped to erect the Old City of Jerusalem using LEGO pieces. Photo from Village Chabad

Local children and their family members had some fun with plastic building blocks while learning about one of the oldest cities in the world.

Using 70,000 LEGO pieces on a 20-by-20-foot mat, members of Village Chabad in East Setauket created a replica of the Old City of Jerusalem Feb. 3. The LEGO model included many points of interest, such as the gate entrances to the city, the Tower of David, the Temple Mount, the Western Wall and more.

Rabbi Shalom Ber Cohen, from Village Chabad, said the goal of the program was for those involved to leave the event with an admiration for the holy city.

Village Chabad brought in architect Stephen Schwartz of New Jersey-based Building Blocks Workshops to lead the children, parents and grandparents in constructing the model. On the mat were lines to help guide the building efforts. While some sat on the mat constructing walls and towers, others on the sidelines started putting together the buildings, grabbing LEGO pieces from bins.

During the program, Schwartz was constantly engaged with the children and adults, directing them to the proper location if they went astray.

Cohen said Village Chabad had heard about Schwartz’s work from different schools and institutions. The architect has also offered several programs that focus on the historical buildings in Stony Brook for The Ward Melville Heritage Organization.

Schwartz said he has been conducting the LEGO projects for 25 years. It began when his daughter, an elementary school teacher in the Bronx, asked him to show her second-graders how a city is designed.

“When I saw that with LEGO you could teach second-graders about zoning, and they understood it, I saw that this was an amazing teaching tool,” he said.

Schwartz said in the past he has worked with LEGO pieces for different Jewish history programs, including Jerusalem, Masada, the Warsaw Ghetto and the world’s tallest LEGO menorah.

The architect said the projects are usually completed in two hours due to working around a school’s schedule. The Village Chabad program ran from 4:30 to around 6:30. Schwartz said after every program he aims for a 15-minute educational tour.

“I am an architect, so everything is exactly to scale,” Schwartz said. “The program gives people a ‘visual image’ of the shape and location of all the important elements in and around Jerusalem. It is a much more dynamic way to teach than just looking in a book or on a screen.”

Smithtown resident Gail Declue said she had no idea what to expect when she arrived for the build.

“I think it’s great,” she said. “The kids are really involved, and they are going to learn a lot about what Jerusalem looks like without even going.”

Elina Rukhlin, also of Smithtown, said her 10-year-old son was among the children building with LEGO pieces, and the family had traveled to Israel last year.

“My son is actually saying I remember we went to the Tower of David light show,” she said. “So, it’s really cool to be able to look back on our experience and then to see this, because we were actually there.”

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Ward Melville senior Thomas Mauro, left, duels with Centereach junior Justin Martinez in Sabre Feb. 3. Photo by Bill Landon
Ward-Melville's Thomas Mauro and Centereach's Chris Bacigalupo. Photo by Bill Landon
Ward Melville junior Ryan Schmidke, left, gets touched by Centereach senior Epeéist Brian Taich Feb. 3. Photo by Bill Landon
Ward Melville freshman Noah Cavallo, right. Photo by Bill Landon
Noah Cavallo a Ward Melville freshman, left, takes on Jeremy Schkoda of Centereach in Foil Feb. 3. Photo by Bill Landon
Centereach junior Nick Galdemis, left, scores a touch against Ward Melville’s John Fee in Foil Feb. 3. Photo by Bill Landon
Centereach senior Kumpu Ide, right, scores a touch against Ward Melville Epeéist William Lehr at home Feb. 3. Photo by Bill Landon
Centereach senior John Stopanio, left, with a weapon bending touch against Ward Melville senior Christopher Ancona (a returning All County and All Long Island foilist). Photo by Bill Landon
Centereach senior Sebastian Cieslak, left, gets touched by Ward Melville sophomore William Lehr in Epeé Feb. 3. Photo by Bill Landon
Centereach sophomore Daniel Chin Suey is En-garde in Foil on his home strip against Ward Melville Feb. 3. Photo by Bill Landon
Foilist Christopher Ancona, left, a returning All-Long Island fencer scores against Centereach sophomore Daniel Chin Suey Feb. 3. Photo by Bill Landon

The Ward Melville fencing squad edged Centereach, 17-10,  Feb. 3 to clinch the League II title and looks to maintain that momentum for the county finals.

Returning All-County and All-Long Island foilist Christopher Ancona, a senior, led the way for the Patriots, winning all three of his bouts as did sophomore épéeist William Lehr.

The win lifted the Patriots to a perfect 8-0 in league, 12-1 overall. The team then went on to a championship match play at Commack High School Feb. 5, where they won, 14-13.

 

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Jojo Feng sings at the The Ward Melville Organization’s Chinese New Year. Photo by Steven Zaitz
A scene from The Ward Melville Organization’s Chinese New Year. Photo by Steven Zaitz
A scene from The Ward Melville Organization’s Chinese New Year. Photo by Steven Zaitz
A scene from The Ward Melville Organization’s Chinese New Year. Photo by Steven Zaitz
The Long Island Chinese Dance Group performs at the The Ward Melville Organization’s Chinese New Year. Photo by Steven Zaitz
A scene from The Ward Melville Organization’s Chinese New Year. Photo by Steven Zaitz
The Long Island Chinese Dance Group performs at the The Ward Melville Organization’s Chinese New Year. Photo by Steven Zaitz
The Long Island Chinese Dance Group performs at the The Ward Melville Organization’s Chinese New Year. Photo by Steven Zaitz
Jojo Feng sings at the The Ward Melville Organization’s Chinese New Year. Photo by Steven Zaitz
The Long Island Chinese Dance Group performs at the The Ward Melville Organization’s Chinese New Year. Photo by Steven Zaitz
The Long Island Chinese Dance Group performs at the The Ward Melville Organization’s Chinese New Year. Photo by Steven Zaitz
A scene from The Ward Melville Organization’s Chinese New Year. Photo by Steven Zaitz
A scene from The Ward Melville Organization’s Chinese New Year. Photo by Steven Zaitz
A scene from The Ward Melville Organization’s Chinese New Year. Photo by Steven Zaitz
A scene from The Ward Melville Organization’s Chinese New Year. Photo by Steven Zaitz
A scene from The Ward Melville Organization’s Chinese New Year. Photo by Steven Zaitz
The Long Island Chinese Dance Group performs at the The Ward Melville Organization’s Chinese New Year. Photo by Steven Zaitz
The Long Island Chinese Dance Group performs at the The Ward Melville Organization’s Chinese New Year. Photo by Steven Zaitz
A scene from The Ward Melville Organization’s Chinese New Year. Photo by Steven Zaitz
A scene from The Ward Melville Organization’s Chinese New Year. Photo by Steven Zaitz
A scene from The Ward Melville Organization’s Chinese New Year. Photo by Steven Zaitz

In the midst of Chinese New Year, which began Jan. 25, North Shore residents packed into the The Ward Melville Organization’s Education & Cultural Center Feb. 2 to commemorate the Year of the Rat.

WMHO’s annual event featured a lion dance, which is believed to bring good luck and fortune, and a martial arts demonstration by Authentic Shaolin Kung Fu.
Manhattan Taiko performed on ancient Japanese drums blended with modern movement, and the Long Island Chinese Dance Group was on hand to perform along with Jojo Feng who sang Chinese-language songs.

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Girl Scout Hailey Van Cott works on the prey pen at Sweetbriar Nature Center. Photo from Hailey Van Cott

When choosing a project for her Gold Award, one Stony Brook Girl Scout drew on her love for animals.

Hailey Van Cott, a junior at Ward Melville High School and a Girl Scout since kindergarten, recently began repairing the prey pen within the flight aviary at Sweetbriar Nature Center in Smithtown as part of her Gold Award project. A visitor to the center for years, she knew the location was the right choice.

“I really love what Sweetbriar stands for and I knew I wanted to help them out for my Gold Award,” she said.

To help with her project, PSEG Long Island awarded the Girl Scout $200. She said she plans to use the money to put down Astroturf around the sides of the prey enclosure, which helps the birds grip as it’s a softer texture than a piece of wood and in turn prevents foot problems.

PSEG representatives said the project is in line with their goal to relocate osprey and other raptor nests from electrical facilities to safe nesting locations.

“I really love what Sweetbriar stands for and I knew I wanted to help them out for my Gold Award.”

– Hailey Van Cott

“We want to help ensure these wonderful birds continue to return to the area year after year while, at the same time, protecting the reliability of the energy grid,” said John O’Connell, PSEG Long Island’s vice president of transmission and distribution. “Hailey’s project aligns with our commitment to protecting the local raptor population.”

Her mother, Deb, said she wasn’t surprised when her daughter chose to help out at Sweetbriar.

“She’s always liked to help animals,” the mother said. “She’s definitely a big animal person. She’s also always liked to do community service.”

Her mother said with Girl Scout Troop 2867, her daughter has helped Smithtown Animal Shelter by making dog toys and conducting supply drives for them. Outside of Girl Scouts, Van Cott has made memory wire bracelets and sold them at her father’s office and donated the money to Save-A-Pet Animal Shelter in Port Jeff Station.

Isabel Fernandes, a wildlife care coordinator at Sweetbriar, said Van Cott has done an amazing job repairing the prey bin, and Sweetbriar is always appreciative for the help they get from Scouts.

“We are a small staff so it’s important that we have people who can help us and get projects and other things done here,” Fernandes said.

The coordinator explained that the pen is enclosed in the 80-foot flight conditioning enclosure aviary, which is used for wildlife rehabilitation to help injured birds fly again and exercise their muscles before they can be released. The center prey pen ensures the birds maintain their hunting skills.

Fernandes said there is currently a great horned owl in the aviary that was removed when Van Cott was working on the enclosure, as it’s important to keep human contact as limited as possible — something she has now learned through experience.

“The more interaction with humans they have, the more adjusted they will become,” the Girl Scout said. “They need to learn how to capture the prey themselves and how to survive on their own.”

As part of her Gold Award project, in addition to working with her family on the enclosure, she will talk to younger Girl Scouts about the project, Van Cott said, as well as educate them about the importance of animal rehabilitation and how birds of prey control the rodent population.

“Every animal has its part in the ecosystem,” she said. “I’ve always loved big birds. I’ve always loved seeing them out in the wild just looking up and seeing a hawk every now and then.”

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Brookhaven Bike Co-op opened in Flowerfield in St. James last fall. Photo by Rita J. Egan

A local nonprofit has blossomed in Flowerfield with the mission to provide bicycles for those in need.

The all-volunteer Brookhaven Bike Co-Op opened at Flowerfield in St. James this past fall. The co-op provides a space for unwanted bikes to be refurbished and then given to those in need. The co-op also provides the public access to tools and spare parts to fix their own bikes and provides a community space for gatherings and meetings both bike and nonbike related, according to founder Greg Ferguson.

“It’s a place to sort of create a little bicycling community,” Ferguson said.

The original plan for the co-op was to enter into a public-private partnership with the Town of Brookhaven, hence the name, according to the Setauket resident. However, when the space the town allocated for the 501(c) didn’t work out, it was decided to open in the current location. It’s a spot Ferguson said is perfect for the co-op, with other surrounding nonprofits located nearby.

Ferguson, a lawyer who runs the Ferguson Foundation with his brother Chris, said there is a need in Suffolk County for free transportation such as bicycles. One example is around East Patchogue and Manorville where there is a sort of “food desert,” he said, with few grocery stores and many in the area without cars. With a bike, a person can get to stores, doctors and jobs easier than if they were walking. He said there are successful bike co-ops around the country, including in upstate New York, Brooklyn, Manhattan and Connecticut.

“It’s a place to sort of create a little bicycling community.”

– Greg Ferguson

Ferguson, who jokes that he is a slow bicyclist, said he joined the cycling club Suffolk Bicycle Riders Association where he found a thriving organization and members who were helpful in teaching him and other volunteers at the new co-op.

“I was surprised at how willing people were to come out and teach us how to fix bikes — donate parts and bikes,” he said. “It’s been a very positive experience.”

The founder said the co-op has been working with Ward Melville High School’s DECA Club, which is planning a bike drive and is helping with the nonprofit’s social media. He said he has also been in touch with representatives from Stony Brook University to collect bikes that are left behind by students after the semester ends. The nonprofit also plans to work in some way with Brookhaven in the future.

Ward Melville DECA faculty adviser Ilene Littman said the club heard about the co-op from one of its board members Jim Komosinski. After a site visit to the workshop, she reported back to the DECA members and helped form two teamsw of interested students.

“I personally feel that the students connected with this mission because they all have bikes and want to help others who are less fortunate and do not have the means or resources to buy a bike of their own,” Littman said. “By doing so, they are not only providing transportation, they are enabling a fun and healthy activity for those in need.”

“I personally feel that the students connected with this mission because they all have bikes and want to help others who are less fortunate…”

– Ilene Litman

Recently the co-op began offering free bicycle repair classes and a course on how to ride properly in groups. Volunteer Richard Dittmar, a bike mechanic and former bike shop owner, leads the classes.

Dittmar said he found out about the co-op through SBRA’s newsletter and started sharing his expertise to pay it forward.

“I thought it would be a great thing for me to pass on,” he said.

Dittmar said the level of difficulty when it comes to repairing bikes ranges from easily fixing a flat tire to more complex jobs like problems with the gears.

The bike mechanic said he looks forward to volunteering with the co-op and said future partnerships with junk removal companies will be a big help.

“There’s probably bicycles in every garage they walk into when they’re hauling a family’s junk away,” he said. “They don’t know what to do with the bikes, so at least there’s an outlet for that now.”

Volunteer and board member Lori Neiste said the co-op is also an example of being environmentally friendly as old bicycles will be refurbished and used again instead of being thrown in the trash.

Ferguson said while the original plan was to distribute bicycles at food pantries, they have had social workers reach out to them for clients.

Bicycles in all conditions are accepted, Ferguson said, even rusty bikes as parts can be used. Those interested in donating can drop off bikes at the co-op at 8 Flowerfield, Unit 18, in St. James, or have volunteers pick them up by calling 631-371-3886.

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The hill going down on West Broadway in Port Jefferson is well known for its potholes and ripped up pavement. Photo by Kyle Barr

A section of North Shore roadway will benefit from new state funding for the renewal of streets impacted by extreme weather events.

New York State Gov. Andrew Cuomo (D) announced Jan. 23 that $151 million in new funding to complement $743 million in direct state aid provided through the PAVE NY Initiative for local road and bridge projects. Of the new allocation, $6.6 million will be used to renew Route 25A from Nicolls Road in Stony Brook to Main Street/East Broadway in Port Jefferson, according to a press release from the governor’s office.

A portion of Route 25A in Setauket will benefit from state aid. Photo by Rita J. Egan

“New York continues to make nation-leading investments in the renewal and modernization of the state’s roads, bridges, transit systems and airports,” Cuomo said in the release. “These investments are laying the foundation to ensure sustained growth throughout the 21st century in tourism, business and workforce development, and economic opportunities.”

According to the release, the improvement will enhance highway safety and reduce the roughness of roads, which in turn will make them more fuel efficient. Work is estimated to begin this spring and be completed in the winter of 2020.

State Assemblyman Steve Englebright (D-Setauket) brought the severity of local road conditions to the attention of the state Department of Transportation last year, according to a press release from his office. The designated areas have been subjected to serious degradation due to water seepage into road seams and large clusters of filled potholes creating rutted, uneven and unsafe surfaces. One of the worse sections is the roadway near the East Setauket Post Office to CVS, but other sections have deteriorated rapidly, including the hill from Poquott into Port Jefferson.

“Last summer, we noticed an acceleration in the deterioration of different sections of Route 25A,” Englebright said in the statement. “So, I met with DOT staff to communicate the urgent need for repair. After evaluation of the road confirmed the urgency, [NYSDOT] regional director, Joseph Brown, indicated that he would do his best to find funds to do repairs. We want to thank the regional director and his staff for working to include the main highway of our community in this funding program.”

Town of Brookhaven Highway Supervisor Dan Losquadro (R) said while he’s always grateful when he hears of state funding coming the town’s way, when he heard the recent news, he was disappointed as to how little aid was coming to Suffolk County. He pointed to the fact that the section of Route 25A is the only one designated in the area. He added there is a desperate need for state funding to be reinstated for work on Route 347, specifically for the Nicolls Road overpass and intersection.

Losquadro said he will continue conversations with state legislators about state roads, also the Consolidated Local Street and Highway Improvement Program, otherwise known as CHIPS, allocation for local streets.

“I really hope that this is a starting point and not an endpoint when it comes to the proposal for funding for infrastructure for Long Island, because paving one road in Suffolk County really isn’t to me an adequate investment on the part of the state Legislature,” Losquadro said.

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File photo
Michael Owen was charged with with Murder 2nd Degree. Photo from NCPD

A St. James man was arrested for allegedly murdering his estranged wife.

Kelly Owen, 27, who was pregnant, was found dead in her South Farmingdale home Jan. 15, according to Nassau County Police Department. On Jan. 29, St. James resident Michael Owen was arrested and charged with Murder 2nd Degree.
The medical examiner’s office determined the cause of death to be asphyxiation.

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Kadam Holly McGregor speaks to attendees of the MLK Peace & Unity Multi-Faith Prayer Service Jan. 20. Photo by Rita J. Egan

Two events during the past three-day holiday weekend drew residents from the Three Village community as well as surrounding areas to Setauket to remember Martin Luther King Jr. Day and the civil rights activist. 

Guest speakers Liz Gannon-Graydon, founder of What BETTER Looks Like, and environmental activist Saad Amer, founder of Plus1Vote, conduct a workshop Jan. 18. Photo from Building Bridges in Brookhaven

On Jan. 18, despite snow in the forecast, more than 100 people attended the 4th annual Martin Luther King Unity Festival at Setauket Presbyterian Church organized by the civic group Building Bridges In Brookhaven.

The day included music, workshops and a panel discussion on the theme of Building the Beloved Community Across Generations.Approximately 20 nonprofit groups were also on hand for the Be the Change volunteer fair. The event provided an opportunity for attendees to discuss the life, legacy and vision of King, according to Susan Perretti of Building Bridges.

Tom Lyon, also of the group, said the event provided “a lot of very valuable networking and planning for future collaborations.”

Among those participating Jan. 18 was Community Growth Center of Port Jefferson Station, which held its Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Day Peace & Unity Multi-Faith Prayer Service and Concert two days later at The Bates House in Setauket. On Jan. 20, a standing-room only crowd filled the venue to hear speakers and enjoy music. Participants were also encouraged to bring donations for Pax Christi’s men’s shelter.

Among those speaking at the event was Father Francis Pizzarelli from Hope House Ministries and Kadam Holly McGregor from Kadampa Meditation Center of Long Island. Before leading a meditation, McGregor told the attendees that everyone can become like King if they work on themselves.

The H.I.M.S. from Hope House Ministries, Vinny Posillico from Singing Bowls-Sound Healing and Stuart Markus, a folk singer of Gathering Time, entertained the crowd.

Perretti said she and others from Building Bridges attended the Jan. 20 event to support the center and was reminded at both events of King’s dream of building the “beloved community,” a society based on justice, equal opportunity and love of one’s fellow human beings.

“It was wonderful to be part of a gathering focusing on unity and what we have in common,” she said. “There were faith leaders from the Muslim, Christian, Jewish, Hindu and Buddhist traditions. It feels more important than ever for us to come together and respect our differences.” 

Michael Hoffner, executive director of Community Growth Center, was inspired by the turnout, and said the annual event at The Bates House aims to bring people and religious leaders together from different faiths to spark a change of heart and create changes from the inside out. He said he believes that the answer to our country’s “current problems require a deep spiritual solution.”

“We as a community and a country need to awaken to a deeper sense of love, peace and unity that can only come from a transformation of the heart,” he said. “We can’t expect peace to come from laws and policies alone — peace in our world can only come from peace in our heart. Peace on the inside leads to peace on the outside.”

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