Triple cancer survivor, veteran and volunteer firefighter seeks to give back to community
Albert Statton, above, stands in his gear as a Greenlawn firefighter. Photo from Statton
A Greenlawn volunteer firefighter, Army veteran and three-time cancer survivor has faced many battles in his life, but now he is fighting a different kind of battle.
Albert Statton, 64, created the Operation Enduring Care project at the Greenlawn Fire Department to collect food and clothing donations to help people who need immediate assistance and “offer them some type of comfort.” All of the donations collected will be given to The Salvation Army-managed homeless shelter at the Northport VA Affairs Medical Center.
Statton was drafted into the military in 1970 and served as a combat medic in Germany, Asia and across the United States. He finished his last tour of duty in the late 1990s but returned to his roots when he received treatment at the Northport VA after he was diagnosed with cancer in 2009. He found solace in dropping off items at the shelter on his way to chemotherapy.
“When being treated, it’s a physical and a mental battle,” Statton said in a phone interview. “I had highs and lows. I tried to make it a positive by bringing donations to shelter, so instead of going for me I was helping someone.”
He said the shelter for homeless veterans gets as many as 60 families a week that ask for assistance, especially during the holiday season.
Statton’s desire to help others is something he said he learned as a firefighter.
“You never say, ‘I was a firefighter.’ I am a firefighter and the things I have learned are ingrained in me forever.”
He said the volunteers at Greenlawn took his sick father to the hospital more than 20 times, so afterward he wanted to make a donation to the department to say thank you.
“I realized I didn’t have enough money to repay a debt like that,” Statton said. “I wanted to give back to the community the same way they did to my father.”
Statton served his community proudly until he was diagnosed with cancer.
He is impressed with the level of dedication all of the volunteers at Greenlawn bring to their work and how much they learned about the rescue system.
“So many people take the time to raise the bar on what’s available for the community,” Statton said.
He credits his cancer recovery to the members of the fire department for their inspiration and good wishes while he was sick, and their visits to his bedside at the hospital to pray with him.
One story in particular stands out in his mind: Statton, in the hospital, was once so battered by his treatment that he stopped breathing, and he found out later that at that same moment his comrades had begun a prayer group for him. He regained his ability to breathe minutes later.
“I had a very supportive network of brothers and sisters that encouraged me to persevere,” he said. “My respect and my love goes very deep for the fire department.”
Donations to support Statton’s effort to give back to local veterans can be dropped off at 23 Boulevard Ave. in Greenlawn. Statton said canned meats and vegetables are in high demand, as well as packaged undergarments and socks.
Long Island Bulldog Rescue founder Laurette Richin sits with Josie, the group’s mascot. Photo by Giselle Barkley
By Rita J. Egan
This past Monday, Beth Stern & Friends hosted the Bash for the Bulldogs at the Rosenthal Pavilion at New York University’s Kimmel Center. The event filled with food, music and raffles benefited the Long Island Bulldog Rescue located in Stony Brook.
The LIBR is the result of the love that Executive Director Laurette Richin has for the English bulldogs known for their stocky builds and wrinkled faces. Richin always wanted to learn more about the breed and, after divorcing her husband in the 90s, she decided to work with the dogs. She joined the Long Island Bulldog Club, but she said she soon realized she didn’t have what it takes to breed them. She explained that sometimes puppies could be lost during birth due to being delivered through C-sections.
Laurette Richin is all smiles with Josie, an American Bulldog. Photo by Giselle Barkley
When a member of the club asked her to stop by the Little Shelter Animal Rescue to check on a bulldog, it was the beginning of a new venture for Richin. She was told the dog that was brought in was very old, but as she looked at his teeth, she realized it was a puppy that was atrophied due to being in a crate all the time.
Richin said after she called the club representative to confirm that the dog was indeed a bulldog, she pulled out of the Little Shelter parking lot and couldn’t stop thinking of the puppy. She pulled back in and went right back into the shelter and took the dog home and nursed him back to health.
“I got hooked. It’s interesting, because you get to see something that is broken and needs you, and you fix them up, and they respond so beautifully. Then you find them a decent home,” Richin said.
That first rescue occurred 16 years ago in 1999, and while the group originally helped about 13 bulldogs in the local area during the first year, during the last decade and a half Richin along with LIBR volunteers have saved thousands of bulldogs and now serve nine states in the Northeast. Most of the dogs tend to be from Long Island and the five boroughs and almost 400 were saved in the last year alone.
The increase need of rescues is due to the growth of the bulldogs’ popularity over the years. The executive director said when she started in 1999, they ranked 46 nationwide in American Kennel Club registrations and now rank number 5 nationwide and 4 in large cities.
Richin said the dogs, which can cost upward to $3,000, are mild mannered and love attention. She said many apartment dwellers buy the dogs because they don’t need to run around regularly. However, because they require a good amount of attention, bulldogs aren’t ideal for those who are away from home for long hours. Richin added that the dogs also need special food to help avoid skin issues that can develop due to the way they have been bred.
The bulldogs that are rescued stay in foster homes before being adopted. Richin, who has two bulldogs of her own and one foster at any given time, which now is Josie the group’s mascot, said currently they have 32 dogs in foster homes waiting to be adopted. The executive director said the homes are a better setting than shelters to prepare dogs for their future families.
“It’s a much better way to get the dog into an environment where you actually know what their issues are, and you get to know them. If you have a dog in a shelter situation, you’re never going to know that the doorbell makes them crazy or that they like to eat couches. That’s stuff we find out in foster homes,” the executive director said.
Mia One-year-old Mia is waiting to be adopted. This little girl was rescued from a home in Queens where she was neglected and rarely went outside, even going to the bathroom solely on bathroom pads. Mia had an ingrown tail, which caused a horrible infection. While doctors have surgically corrected the tail, she remains in the hospital due to a torn cruciate ligament.
Wrinkles Wrinkles recently had a bit of a scare when he ate corn on the cob. His snack caused an obstruction, which his family could not afford to pay for; however, LIBR was contacted, and Wrinkles was brought to a local vet to remove the blockage. He is now in a foster home waiting for his forever home, preferably one with no young children since he has the potential to swallow small toys.
When it comes to placing the dogs, Richin said there isn’t a problem finding potential owners. For almost 400 dogs in the Northeast in a year, she can receive approximately 12,000 applications. She pointed out that not every home is suitable for the dogs, however. Before placing a dog, things to consider are if the particular bulldog is well suited for a home that may have children, especially young ones, or other dogs or cats, as each dog is different.
Richin said the group’s website and Facebook page have been valuable tools when it comes to finding new families, foster homes and volunteers, and the Facebook page especially has been helpful in sharing the dogs’ stories with the public.
A post that stands out for Richin is one where members driving in Lancaster, Pa., saw a bulldog tied to a pole along the highway with a big pink cardboard sign that said: “Free to a good home. Blind in one eye, can’t have puppies.” In an hour and a half, the executive director said a volunteer was there to rescue the dog. “Social media is extremely useful with this kind of organization,” she said.
The group has also used its Facebook page to educate bulldog lovers about the risks of buying a dog from a pet store or puppy mill. Recently, when a store-bought puppy developed pneumonia from a bug she caught at the establishment, LIBR shared the story on social media. The post encouraged others who had problems with pet stores, including the one the puppy came from, to share their experiences. The pet store paid for the veterinarian bill, which included the dog spending 18 days in oxygen. Unfortunately, the puppy died, leaving her owners heartbroken.
After another post, reporting how much veterinarian care would cost for one bulldog, a member commented he would match all donations. Richin was overwhelmed by the $4,000 check the man sent saying he was happy to do it because LIBR had helped him a few months earlier.
The organization also conducts programs at schools, fairs and shelter adoption events to help potential owners make informed decisions when it comes to buying or adopting a bulldog. The executive director said volunteers are also available to help bulldog owners with information regarding veterinarians, the proper food and care. For every bulldog they rescue there are three owners who need help caring for their pets, according to Richin. She said when volunteers help owners it’s primarily for the dog’s well-being, and they are nonjudgmental of the people.
Richin said she and volunteers understand that owners may encounter challenges and said they shouldn’t be hesitant to ask for help. “People feel lost. They have this initial loving feeling for the puppy, and then they’re like, well, what do I do now.”
LIBR is always looking for foster homes as well as volunteers not only to help with rescues but also with office work and publicity. For more information on how you can adopt or assist with rescues, fostering or even sponsoring a bulldog, visit www.longislandbulldogrescue.org or visit its Facebook page at www.facebook.com/LongIslandBulldogRescue.
Congressman Steve Israel speaks on the dangers of hoverboards at the Commack Fire Department on Dec. 15. Photo by Victoria Espinoza.
One of this year’s hot holiday items might be a little too hot.
Hoverboards have been flying off the shelves this holiday season, but recent safety issues, including multiple cases of boards catching fire or exploding, have given some shoppers pause. That’s why U.S. Rep. Steve Israel (D) gathered with members of the Commack Fire Department Tuesday and urged consumers against buying hoverboards specifically made in China, because he said the type of batteries used in them may ignite.
“Hoverboards may be the hot holiday gift, but they are literally catching on fire and igniting questions about their safety and the safety of lithium-ion batteries,” Israel said. “New Yorkers should remain hesitant before purchasing these hoverboards and stay vigilant while using and charging them.”
Hoverboards are self-balancing and electronic two-wheeled devices on which people can travel from place to place. When riding one, a person may appear to be levitating, or hovering, similarly to those on the hoverboards featured in the film “Back to the Future II.”
Israel stood beside a photo display of several fires that the Commack department had already responded to where hoverboards caused combustion inside someone’s home, destroying property and, sometimes, entire rooms.
Hoverboards shipped from overseas use lithium ion batteries, which can combust if heated or overcharged due to their limited voltage range. Israel called for more research from the U.S. Department of Energy on the safety of using lithium ion batteries in hoverboards.
The congressman also noted that airports already task their security personnel to remove all lithium ion batteries from checked bags for the same reason.
“Well if we know that those lithium ion batteries could be a hazard to the plane, and we know a hover board with a lithium ion battery could be hazardous to our homes, that says we need to do a little bit more research,” Israel said.
Commack Fire Marshal Joe Digiose flanked the congressman on Tuesday and said he urged residents to be careful when buying hoverboards until more research is completed. He said there is no research that shows the American-made products are not working well, but the ones from overseas pose more of a danger and are being shipped at a very high rate to the United States.
“We recommend you don’t buy them but if you do, buy an American-made one,” he said.
Don Talka speaks on research of lithium ion batteries at the Commack Fire Department on Dec. 15. Photo by Victoria Espinoza
Don Talka, senior vice president and chief engineer at Underwriters Laboratories has been involved in research on lithium ion batteries for years, starting back when they were involved with similar issues in laptops. He said the major problem is the mating of the battery with the rest of the electronics used in the hoverboards.
“What we’ve learned through our research … is that the combination and how these pieces interact causes the issues,” Talka said. “And how the batteries are charged and discharged are all items which need further investigation.”
At the press conference, Israel inspected the box that a hoverboard came in, and said that despite all the instructions and caution labels about the product, there is nothing to be said about the battery.
“That has been established as one of the single greatest threats to property and potentially lives when they’re coming from China,” Israel said. “That’s why we want to comply with the energy chair to fully research this and make sure that people aren’t being exposed to greater risk and threat by lithium ion batteries.”
Santa greets a small child at the Heritage Center’s Breakfast with Santa. Photo by Aw Snap Booths
Little girls talk to Santa at the Heritage Center’s Breakfast with Santa. Photo by Aw Snap Booths
A boy sings while musician Johnny Whimple plays his guitar at the Heritage Center’s Breakfast with Santa. Photo by Aw Snap Booths
The Heritage Center hosted a Breakfast with Santa event on Dec. 13. Photo by Aw Snap Booths
Muffins and other breakfast sweets were available at the Heritage Center’s Breakfast with Santa. Photo by Aw Snap Booths
The Heritage Center gave children food for Santa’s reindeer to help Santa on Christmas at the Heritage Center’s Breakfast with Santa. Photo by Aw Snap Booths
Residents pose for a photo at the Heritage Center’s Breakfast with Santa. Photo by Aw Snap Booths
Santa meets with a family at the Heritage Center’s Breakfast with Santa. Photo by Aw Snap Booths
Children meet Santa family at the Heritage Center’s Breakfast with Santa. Photo by Aw Snap Booths
Residents pose for a photo at the Heritage Center’s Breakfast with Santa. Photo by Aw Snap Booths
Heritage Trust President Lori Baldassare, second from left, poses for a photo with Santa and volunteers from the Heritage Center at the center’s Breakfast with Santa. Photo by Aw Snap Booths
Santa’s been sticking around the Heritage Center in Mount Sinai for the last few days.
On Sunday, Santa paid a special visit to the park for its annual breakfast. Year after year families get a closer look at Santa. Lori Baldassare, President of Heritage Trust, says residents also bring nonperishable food items that are donated to local pantries.
Tuscany Gourmet Market provided a buffet breakfast, and families met with Santa and could receive a professional photo by Faraz and Patricia Zaidi from Aw Snap Booths from Selden. Children were also given food for Santa’s reindeer to help jolly ole St. Nick find his way around the neighborhood on Christmas day.
Baldassare started Breakfast with Santa 21 years ago when she was the president of the Mount Sinai Civic Association. The event was held in the Handlebar restaurant in Mount Sinai — the restaurant owners sold the property 2008. In 2003, when the park was still in it’s early construction phase, Baldassare left the civic association for Heritage Trust, and the event followed.
“The community place is the perfect place to hold the event because it was created to be the [community’s] gathering place,” Baldassare said. “It signifies the tradition of [a] community.”
Residents say Maybeck Drive in the Village of Poquott is in need of road repairs after various issues related to flooding destroyed the street. Photo by Giselle Barkley
Residents living on Maybeck Drive in Poquott are no strangers to floods.
The private road, which lacks a water drainage system, is prone to flooding during rainy weather as water travels from higher roads in the area down to Maybeck Drive. Over time the excess water eroded parts of the road and allowed potholes to form. While the previous owners maintained the road for the last several years, last year they failed to do so making the roadway impassable.
But on Nov. 17 the Village of Poquott voted to acquire the south end of Maybeck Drive in hopes of fixing the area.
Residents say Maybeck Drive in the Village of Poquott is in need of road repairs after various issues related to flooding destroyed the street. Photo by Giselle Barkley
While some residents supported the village’s decision to take over the road some residents questioned the village’s plan. Typically roads must be maintained before it’s transferred to the village. However, Village Attorney assured residents this isn’t the first time the village took over a roadway that wasn’t maintained. Despite this, the status of the area left some residents saying maintaining the road will affect residents in the area.
“It’s in pretty bad shape,” Barbara Donovan said about the road. “For the village to take it over at this point, it’s going to cost a lot of money.”
Donovan is the former mayor of Poquott. She first dealt with negotiations regarding Maybeck Drive in 2006 when the village sought ownership of the street. According to Donovan the board of trustees at the time held several meetings with the previous owners. Despite continuous negotiations about transferring the parcel to the village, the owners didn’t agree to transfer ownership until this year.
Mayor Dee Parish was unavailable to comment on the issue prior to publication.Although Trustee Jeff Koppelson is unsure why the owners stopped maintaining the parcel, he said the village is in a financial position to fix the road during a phone interview. He added that it would cost the village less money than if the owners fixed the area themselves. Planning Board Chairman Roger Flood said he didn’t oppose the transfer of ownership to the village but said he suggested that the previous owners should contribute to funding the road repairs. Koppelson said the owners intend to do so.
Currently the village needs to repave the roadway and address drainage concerns to prevent future flooding. Koppelson said he addressed the concerns of residents who opposed the village’s decision to take ownership of the south end of Maybeck Drive. He compared the situation to paying school related taxes. Residents argued that even after their kids graduate from school, taxpayers must continue paying those taxes. It is a similar case when it comes to maintaining roadways in the village.
“The reason is, is because it goes toward the community. It’s part of living in a community, especially a small village,” Koppelson said relating paying school taxes to using taxpayer dollars to fund road repairs.
Supervisor Frank Petrone speaks on the highway department's preparation for the winter season on Dec. 11. Photo by A.J. Carter.
Winter is coming — and the Huntington Highway Department is ready for it.
In an effort to make the season as seamless as possible, the department has bulked up its winter arsenal with additional dump trucks, refurbished old ones and updated and digitized response services to make the town more accessible to residents.
Highway Superintendent Pete Gunther said the operations center was recently enacted within the highway department to make the town more productive when responding to residents’ requests for assistance services such as plowing. He said residents could simply email the operations center through the town’s website if they require help, where foreman will be notified via iPads to keep them up-to-date on service requests.
“We’ve become really automated now,” Gunther said at a press conference on Friday. “Anything that comes into the operation center can be immediately routed to the area foreman — whether it’s snow or a storm — and take care of whatever the problem is.”
Town Supervisor Frank Petrone (D) said that the department’s efforts are a true example of what Huntington can do when there is cooperation, especially with what he called a “most effective” highway superintendent, who Petrone said has done wonders at his job.
“The people have been served very well by Pete Gunther,” he said at the press conference.
Gunther said the town has acquired 10 new dump trucks this year, equipped with plows and sanders that should last between 25 and 30 years. The town also refurbished 10 older dump trucks with updates like stainless steel bodies to remedy damage from salt exposure.
New dump trucks from the Huntington Highway Department with plows on display at a press conference on Dec. 11. Photo by Victoria Espinoza.
The Huntington Town Board allocated $260,000 for the stainless steel repairs, according to Gunther, and the project was completed $18,000 under budget, adding 12 to 15 years of service to the trucks.
“He’ll be in his eighth term by the time he has to do this again,” Petrone joked. Councilwoman Tracey Edwards (D) said Gunther and his team planned on bringing the town forward in terms of technology.
“To be this prepared this early without the snow is a testament to your leadership,” Edwards said to Gunther.
As for technology upgrades, the department gained 200 portable GPS devices to give to private contractors who help the department during emergencies, allowing the department to reposition equipment in real-time.
Petrone said the town has also mobilized town workers so that they are available if needed for larger highway department projects.
Gunther also urged residents to not park their cars on the street during a storm, as well as leaving basketball hoops set up in the street, to help make plowing as quick and effective as possible.
Thanks to the improvements and upgrades, Guther said, “We are a more efficient and better highway department.”
Bea Ruberto, who helped organize for a new Welcome to Sound Beach sign, poses with it between Dr. Denise Burton, left, and Councilwoman Jane Bonner, right. Photo from Bea Ruberto
She’s tiny, but mighty — that’s how Councilwoman Jane Bonner (C-Rocky Point) described Sound Beach civic president Bea Ruberto.
The 69-year-old editor and president of the Sound Beach Civic Association has lived in Sound Beach for more than 30 years, and her impact on the area is not only seen upon entering the hamlet but also felt far and wide.
Ruberto helped with the replacement of the Welcome to Sound Beach sign, organized and managed the Celebrate Sound Beach weekend, conducted successful Hamlet-wide garage sale, expanded the civic’s bimonthly newsletter, hosted the annual Pet Adopt-A-Thon for Brookhaven residents and chaired the annual scholarship fund food fair and silent auction, which raised and awarded $14,000 to local students. She also helped add an extra bus stop that takes commuters into Port Jefferson, to make the last morning train into the city. But what Ruberto said she is most proud of, though, is how she obtained grant applications to secure funds to improve the pedestrian walkway on Echo Avenue — a project that is near completion.
“I’m elated about the whole thing — it needed to be revitalized,” Ruberto said of the road. “The town has been very receptive to making changes along the way as needed and they did a fantastic job.”
Ruberto said she first approached Bonner with the problem when she saw a photo that showed a bus moving into the middle of the road while a runner raced alongside a wooded area.
Bonner said it’s been a pleasure working alongside Ruberto.
“She’s got a heart the size of Texas, cares passionately about Sound Beach and her role as a civic leader and is one of their most wonderful advocates,” she said. “She’s very forward-thinking; she’s patient; she understands. She’s one of those people that got put on Earth to help people, and she does a great job.”
Dan Losquadro, the highway superintendent for the Town of Brookhaven, has worked on various projects with Ruberto over the last several years and said she’s also been a driving force to get things done.
Bea Ruberto is a strong presence in the community. Photo from Ruberto
“Bea is someone that is passionate about her community,” he said. “Sometimes you meet people who don’t understand the work that goes into these projects or the time constraints and budget limits, but Bea has been someone who is always very understanding and easy to work with, but is also persistent. She never gives up on an issue.”
Mimi Hodges, a 58-year-old resident who grew up in Sound Beach, said Ruberto engaged her right away when she arrived to the area, helping her get involved in the civic — where she got to see the kinds of things Ruberto does, however obvious or subtle they may be.
“I’m just a little person who’s so impressed — the fact that she juggles all of this is amazing to me and she has so much energy and to be able to do what she does is remarkable,” she said. “She has a warmth and a generosity to her that I haven’t seen since I was a child, honestly. I say that with no hesitation.”
What she also liked, she said, is how Ruberto was able to make changes that enhanced and bettered the community, while maintaining its old hamlet charm that it had when she was a child.
The passion Ruberto has for Sound Beach was also recognized by state Sen. Ken LaValle (R-Port Jefferson), who honored Ruberto as his Woman of Distinction in 2014.
Charlotte Fritts, the 65-year-old secretary for the civic for the last four years, said she has seen how tirelessly Ruberto works for the community and also said that the way Ruberto handles issues is appreciated by both the Sound Beach residents and the political figures that govern it.
“When she feels that a project is good for the community, she holds on to it, works with it in a very nice way and has established a great rapport with representatives in Brookhaven town,” she said. “She doesn’t just go to them with problems, but researches to bring various solutions to that problem, which makes it nice for them because then they have something to work with.”
Fritts said everything Ruberto accomplished thus far has not only benefited the community by making it better but also enriched neighbors’ lives as well.
“I admire her greatly — she’s tenacious,” Fritts said. “She’s really a very civic-minded individual and a very bright woman who is also a good neighbor. She’s very approachable to people in the community. She’s a caring person. A simple something that may not seem as important to a whole community is important to one person and she never makes anything seem unimportant. She always listens and helps resolve a situation.”
Fritts, along with other members of the community and politicians, said someone like Ruberto is needed in a community. It’s important to her, and it shows.
“The civic worked on issues that were important to the community as a whole and that interested me,” Ruberto said of first joining the civic back in 1995. “The people in Sound Beach are a wonderful bunch of people that really appreciate what the civic does. Seeing the rewards and the progress, that’s what it’s all about. No matter how hard leading up to something is, once it works out the rewards are unbelievable.”
Hailey Del Giorno, left, is out for a meal with three of the girls she works with at Little Flower Children and Family Services of New York in Wading River. Photo from Hailey Del Giorno
It isn’t typical for a 9-year-old to reject the joy of crafting a Christmas list from scratch, but that’s exactly what 22-year-old Setauket native Hailey Del Giorno encountered.
Del Giorno, a Ward Melville High School graduate, recently launched a campaign to raise money to buy holiday gifts for children she works with at Little Flower Children and Family Services of New York in Wading River. She works in Mary’s Cottage with girls between ages 9 and 16, providing foster boarding home care, residential treatment care and adolescent development. And while she said she knew raising funds would be a challenge, she did not expect the toys list to be equally as difficult.
“They seemed hesitant at first,” Del Giorno, who is now studying psychology at St. Joseph’s College, said about the young girls’ reluctance to share their holiday wishes. “They didn’t seem to want to get their hopes up.”
Del Giorno landed the Wading River job over the summer to satisfy her desire to help others in need and has since been working closely with the young girls, many of whom come from abusive or neglectful homes, every weekend over shifts that could run as long as 12 hours. Since June, she has been working on developing relationships with these girls, but it was not easy, she said.
The group did not openly trust Del Giorno at first, she said, often misconstruing her caring demeanor as intrusive or fake. But she made it a point to squash those misconceptions by working longer and longer shifts on a week-by-week basis.
“These girls have tendencies to be defensive, untrusting and resistive to authority figures because of what they have been through,” she said. “When I started getting to know the girls, I wanted to show them that I had a true interest in learning who they were as people.”
And with each passing week, and each blossoming relationship, Del Giorno said she saw the upcoming holiday season as an opportunity to give back and show the girls that she’s on their side.
Her co-workers and even family members jumped into action. The goal was to raise $5,000 for the girls so Del Giorno and her team could buy them holiday presents and take them out to dinner on Christmas somewhere in the community. She launched an online crowd-funding page via Gofundme.com and has since raise close to $2,000 of that goal, with more than two weeks left, and has spent weeks polling her girls with hopes of assembling a holiday items wish list.
“Hailey I’m so proud of you,” supporter Belinda Groneman wrote on the page. “You have a big heart”
Maria Adams also chimed in.
“God bless you for caring,” she said alongside her donation.
And even when she did get an answer, they were still selfless ones. Several of the girls Del Giorno approached used their holiday gift wishes as opportunities to request items for siblings or loved ones instead, including anything from Barbie dolls to paint brushes and portable Casio keyboards.
In the end, Del Giorno said she hopes to make a lasting impression on the girls and remind them that family does not have to be just along their bloodlines.
“In my family, we always practiced the concept of giving back to the less fortunate,” she said. “After [my family] learned to care about these girls the way I did, we felt we needed to give these girls an extra special Christmas … They are all unique and special in their own ways and shine so positively when they are passionate and excited.”
A new sidewalk runs along Highlands Boulevard in upper Port Jefferson. Photo by Elana Glowatz
They blazed the path and now they’re going to light the way.
With a new sidewalk already paved along Highlands Boulevard, keeping pedestrians out of the road, Port Jefferson officials are now working on installing streetlights on the route.
A new sidewalk runs along Highlands Boulevard in upper Port Jefferson. Photo by Elana Glowatz
The village board of trustees on Monday approved spending $28,000 for Flushing-based Welsbach Electric Corp. to put in eight decorative streetlight poles and light fixtures along the winding sidewalk, between the entrance to the Highlands condominiums and Oakland Avenue in uptown Port Jefferson.
That dollar figure is higher than an original $17,000 cost approved in August. Mayor Margot Garant explained at Monday’s board meeting that the village needs more lighting than initially expected.
“We had originally contemplated putting three Dickens lanterns in,” she told the trustees, referring to the antique-style streetlights the village uses. But the “village lanterns are not known for their best illumination. So if we were to light [it] properly, it would need one Dickens lantern every 50 feet.”
However, the bumped-up expense, which will come out of the village’s surplus if the public works department budget cannot cover it, does not represent the entire lighting cost for the stretch of sidewalk. That price tag would have been “more than we have in the budget,” Trustee Larry LaPointe said.
Instead the village will put in the eight streetlights, 150 feet apart, according to Garant. “Just to give it some light at this point in time, and then we can fill in as we continue to go.”
The streetlights will use LED bulbs.
The new roughly 0.2-mile sidewalk on Highlands Boulevard has been in the works for a while, with the idea first coming up a few years ago, when residents coordinated an effort to petition the government to preserve the village-owned grassy area along the road. It was discussed as a safety issue because pedestrians had to walk in the street to get from the condos to the uptown business district.
Board members approved a parkland designation for the 6-acre grassy parcel earlier this year, a move that limits the land’s future use or development. Village officials have discussed the possibility of adding benches or walking paths there, but have expressed a desire to keep the park’s use passive.
Legislator Kara Hahn, Councilwoman Valerie Cartright, WMHO Chairman of the Board of Directors Richard Rugen, Supervisor Ed Romaine, Town Clerk Donna Lent and WMHO Trustee Mary VanTuyl. Front row from left to right: WMHO President Gloria Rocchio, Town Historian Barbara Russell, WMHO Trustees Anna Kerekes and Charles Napoli. Photo from Jack Krieger
The American Revolution might be a thing of the past but it’s made a mark in Long Island’s present.
After three and a half centuries the historic Brewster House in East Setauket is still standing thanks to the Ward Melville Heritage Organization.
On Monday Dec. 7 at 3 p.m. Brookhaven Supervisor Ed Romaine (R) and Town Councilwoman Valerie Cartright (D-Port Jefferson Station) and the WMHO celebrated the house’s 350th anniversary.
President of the WMHO Gloria Rocchio said nine generations of Brewsters lived in the house after the town sold the house to Nethaniel Brewster on Oct. 24, 1665. She added that the house may be older than 350 years as it was already built when the town sold the property.
WMHO acquired the property in 1948 after John Ward Melville purchased the house from Jennie E. Smith and Robert Elderkin — they were the last members of the Brewster family to own the home. Additions were made to the home before Melville purchased the property — the home was transformed from a one-room cottage to its current multiple-room structure. Nineteen years after purchasing the home, Melville began restoring the dilapidated house.
The Brewster House was as a tavern and general store during the American Revolution. Members of the Brewster family resided in the upstairs portion of the home. At the time, Joseph Brewster entertained British Troops at the home. Joseph Brewster’s cousin Caleb supposedly frequented the house often during the revolution — he was a member of George Washington’s Culper Spy Ring alongside the Roe brothers. The Roe brothers resided in Port Jefferson, which was once called Drowned Meadow.
In light of the house’s long history, Cartright read the original deed that transferred the property to the Town of Brookhaven during the celebration. The town originally acquired the property before WMHO obtained the house many years ago. Both Romaine and Cartright said the house is the oldest building in Brookhaven. It’s age and it’s history made the house worth preserving.
“You don’t want to take these historical homes and modernize them. You want to keep the historical culture,” Cartright said. “Ward Melville Heritage Organization understands the importance of keeping the historical significance of these homes so that’s why we’re happy to work with them.”
Ward Melville established the WMHO on Dec. 29 1939. It was initially known as The Stony Brook Community Fund. While Melville established the organization with the goal of rehabilitating Stony Brook Village and merge history with the area’s natural beauty, the organization has since expanded on his vision.
Currently they continue to spread awareness about Long Island’s history and help to preserve historic sites like the Brewster House.
Romaine added that preserving parts of the community’s history would help the community’s future.
“We have to understand that we’re part of a continuum of history. To do that we’ve got to look back as well as look forward because by looking back we get a clear vision of how to look forward.”
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