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Architect Michael Schwarting presents during a climate resilience forum at Port Jefferson Village Hall on April 5. File photo by Raymond Janis
By Aidan Johnson

Port Jefferson is known for its rich history. Many of its buildings have designated placards that show how they fit into the village’s unique story. However, the newer buildings have just as much of a story to tell, thanks to Michael Schwarting.

For decades, he has worked as an architect, helping to shape the identity of the local area.

Schwarting knew he wanted to be an architect from the time he was in high school. He has served as a professor at Columbia University and the New York Institute of Technology. Now, he is retiring after 50 years of teaching architecture and urban design and from the latter he will be a professor emeritus.

While teaching at Columbia, Schwarting met his wife, Frances Campani.

“I had met her when I was teaching at Columbia, but she wasn’t my student, and I had actually hired her to teach at New York Institute of Technology when I was a chairperson there,” Schwarting said in a phone interview.

‘It’s really been quite wonderful to be in a town where you could really be connected to everything that’s going on and be involved in important public things.’

— Michael Schwarting

Schwarting and Campani were married in 2000 and opened Campani and Schwarting Architects.

“Frances had been living for some years in Port Jefferson and practicing on her own, and we combined to make Campani and Schwarting,” he said.

Schwarting has enjoyed working with his wife at their firm and says that it isn’t rare for firms to have husband-and-wife teams. 

Together, Schwarting and Campani have striven to keep the character of Port Jefferson and its surrounding towns alive.

“I think that’s one of the really gratifying things,” he explained. “It’s really been quite wonderful to be in a town where you could really be connected to everything that’s going on and be involved in important public things,” he added.

One such project that Schwarting and his firm designed was Heritage Park in Mount Sinai, colloquially known as the Wedge, in the early 2000s.

“That was a wonderful project, because the Mount Sinai community organization was really wonderful to work with,” he said.

“It started out with a project that they came to us about when we were teaching to have our students do some design ideas, which were presented to the community, and that evolved into being more realistic than the students usually are,” Schwarting elaborated.

One of his favorite memories and most important projects was the work done for Port Jefferson’s harbor front. While he was the director of an urban design program at NYIT, he had his students present their plans for the harbor at one of the village meetings.

Even though the plans were all extravagant, the mayor was still excited by the presentation, and asked them to continue working on it.

“And that sort of turned into a grant the village got to study the harbor front, and we made this harbor front plan that was part of the village comprehensive plan,” Schwarting said. 

“We finished it in 2014 and it … was combined with a lot of our work on village projects, but that one is the one that we’re still kind of referencing in trying to deal with the stormwater mitigation and also rising tides, which are right there in the village harbor.”

While the mitigation efforts are difficult due to Port Jefferson’s natural flooding, which has been exacerbated by the parking lots and asphalt being put over ground that once absorbed the water, Schwarting says that they are “slowly uncovering all kinds of possibilities to do natural storm surge mitigation.”

Schwarting has been recognized for his work, and has received multiple American Institute of Architecture awards for places such as the mixed-use building on Main Street at Mill Creek Road.

While he may be retiring from teaching, Schwarting will still be going full steam with the grant for flood mitigation and will continue to help the hamlets and villages within Brookhaven keep their unique aesthetics.

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Photo from Wikimedia Commons
By Kerri Glynn

The culture is being fought not only in school libraries but also on the school stage.

Theater programs are the latest battleground, with a recent New York Times article decrying not only the ban on books and arguments about the way race and sexuality are taught but also the restrictions on what plays can be produced.

The most popular high school performance in America, “The Addams Family,” has been barred from many schools for its “dark themes.” Musical staples such as “Bye Bye Birdie” and “Grease” have also been challenged for showcasing “immoral behavior” like smoking, mooning and the possibility of pregnancy.

“Legally Blonde” is “too racy.” “James and the Giant Peach” calls for actors to play both male and female roles. A local production of “9 to 5” was almost shut down by a parental complaint that a dance was “too sexy.” 

Drag performances have recently been restricted in Tennessee, but I remember the Massapequa football team dressing up as cheerleaders with “balloon boobs” back in 1964. And in the 34 years I taught in Smithtown, every Halloween would bring athletes dressed as pregnant nuns and — you guessed it — cheerleaders.

Although “Romeo and Juliet” is a ninth-grade classic in schools across America, a recent production was considered too controversial and replaced by “SpongeBob The Musical.” I pity the student actors who lose the opportunity to be challenged by Shakespeare’s language and tragic themes and instead play cartoon characters. 

“The Crucible” and “To Kill a Mockingbird” have long been part of our school curricula. Now they also face cancellation — “The Crucible” for dealing with adultery and witchcraft, “Mockingbird” for its incest, rape and racism. Both plays were lauded in recent Broadway productions, but what is their future in America’s high school auditoriums?

Students deserve to read and experience challenging material, not just benign and family-friendly fun. A high school theater program should be an open and creative space where students can make friends, be accepted for who they are and have a platform to explore other points of view. My theater kids included AP and special ed students, closeted gays and star athletes.

“Drama teachers are on the firing line, and I marvel at their resilience and their commitment,” said Jeffrey Sanzel, the artistic director of Theatre Three in Port Jefferson. “The opportunities and guidance they provide are immeasurable. I cannot fathom how they face new challenges every time they want to put up a production,” he added. Sadly true. 

A drama teacher in Pennsylvania was fired for directing the Monty Python spoof “Spamalot” because the play contained “gay content.” Imagine the terrible message that sent to LGBTQ students.

I was a lucky one: A drama teacher with a four-year acting class and an administration that allowed me to choose my own shows: “A Chorus Line,” “Company,” and “Brighton Beach Memoirs.” We also performed assembly programs that included material about alcoholism, drug addiction, teen suicide, bulimia, domestic abuse, drunk driving, safe sex and AIDS.

We have to respect and honor the inner life of teenagers and give them a chance to try on other lives in the characters they play. Just this summer, a former student who graduated over 25 years ago posted this note on Facebook.

“My high school acting experience made a profound impact on my life. The only time I felt truly alive was on that stage. It was the escape I needed, and the places I explored showed me how much more to life there truly was. Forever grateful.”

Somewhere in America, the musical “Shakespeare in Love” was rejected by the school administration because the characters had to cross-dress — boys playing the roles of Juliet and the Nurse. Did they miss the authenticity? In Shakespeare’s time, all female roles were performed by men. I shudder to think what the world would have lost if he had lost this culture war, too.

Kerri Glynn is a retired English teacher who has lived in Setauket with her husband Tim for many years. Today she is a writer and tutor as well as the director of education for the Frank Melville Memorial Park.

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Suffolk County Legislator Kara Hahn, fourth from right, and Deputy County Executive Peter Scully, sixth from right, present a $2,500 check to the Lightning Warrior Youth Triathlon Team at West Meadow Beach. Photo courtesy of Leg. Hahn’s office

Suffolk County Legislator Kara Hahn (D-Setauket), Deputy County Executive Peter Scully and Terry Gilberti, BusPatrol America program manager, recently presented a check for $2,500 to coaches Noah Lam and Celeste Rice and the Lightning Warrior Youth Triathlon Team at West Meadow Beach.

The grant was made possible through the county’s School Bus Safety Program.

In return for the grant funds, the team will help educate residents about the program through school bus safety posters and a banner on their playing fields and messages on the team’s website and through emails.

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Photo courtesy Kathianne Snaden
By Kathianne Snaden

Dear Friends and Neighbors of Port Jefferson,

As I’m writing to you today, I can’t help but feel a deep sense of purpose and determination, the kind that comes from years of being not just a public servant, but a fellow resident, a neighbor and a friend. 

Since I chose to move to Port Jeff almost 20 years ago, this beautiful community has been our shared home. I began my journey of getting involved with a simple, heartfelt desire — to make a positive difference right here, in our own backyard.

From being a trustee and then your deputy mayor, I’ve had the privilege of serving us all, sharing in our joys, our challenges and our victories. It’s been a labor of love, and I wouldn’t have had it any other way.

Let’s take a stroll down memory lane and revisit some of the milestones we’ve achieved together.

One of the greatest benefits I have experienced as a public servant is the opportunity to collaborate with numerous individuals and groups within the village. Working together, these efforts resulted in achievements that directly benefit our residents; here’s some of what we’ve accomplished together:

• Built solid connections with our school district because we all believe in providing the best for our children.

• Taken a stand for safety, putting in place new village code to curb dangerous bicycle riding, because every single one of us deserves to feel safe in our neighborhood.

• Successfully lowered the crime rate in our village as reported by SCPD.

• Made strides in convenience, with the new parking lot on Barnum Avenue — the first in 40 years, making our community even more accessible.

• Embraced the future with the launch of Passport — Port Jefferson’s first resident ride share service, because we’ve always been about community and supporting each other.

• Kept our local businesses thriving, collaborating on the Ice Festival during the off-season, because we understand the importance of supporting local merchants.

• Held onto our roots, working with the Architectural Review Committee to ensure new constructions preserve the historic charm of our village, because we all love the unique character of the place we call home.

• Added pocket parks, planting beds, addressed graffiti and littering and added holiday decorations all in an effort to make and keep our village beautiful.

• And most importantly, we’ve stayed responsive, resolving community issues promptly, often within 24 hours, because your concerns are my concerns, too.

Every step of the way, my aim has been to make our beloved Port Jefferson Village even more of a safe, beautiful place that we all are proud to call home.

The recent election didn’t turn out the way I’d hoped, and it’s been a humbling and enlightening experience. It’s made me reflect and realize that I could have done a better job of communicating my intentions and plans. But let’s remember, this isn’t an end — it’s a new chapter. 

For those of you who supported me, I can’t thank you enough and for those that didn’t feel they could support me in this election, I thank you as well for providing me with your perspective. Please know that I remain committed to being an advocate for everyone and standing up for our community.

We will continue to learn from our shared experiences, sticking together and serving our community with renewed commitment. 

It’s often said that when one door closes another door opens. With this hopeful message, I’m looking forward to the future and the many different opportunities it will bring for us all.

Thank you for being such an integral part of this journey. I’m excited to see where it takes us next.

With warmth and appreciation,

Kathianne Snaden

The writer served as Village of Port Jefferson trustee from 2019-23, including one term as deputy mayor, 2021-23.

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Lt. Gen. William K. Harrison Jr. Photo courtesy of Wikipedia Commons

By D. Bruce Lockerbie

Last week’s diplomatic incident in Korea’s Demilitarized Zone, when a young U.S. soldier crossed into North Korea “willfully and without authorization” according to the Pentagon, reminds us that “the Forgotten War” is not yet ended, even though July 27 marks the 70th anniversary of a truce signed on the Korean peninsula.

On that date, in 1953, at Panmunjom on the 38th parallel, delegates from warring nations met to declare a pause in combat. Representing the United Nations was an American named Lt. Gen. William K. Harrison Jr. Because of his unashamed religious faith and testimony, he became known worldwide as “the Bible-quoting general,” not always intended as a compliment by his political and pacifist critics.

Three years earlier, the People’s Democratic Republic of Korea invaded the Western-backed Republic of Korea (South Korea), which the United Nations voted to defend. Led by the United States and commanded by Gen. Douglas MacArthur, 6.8 million Americans served; fewer than 1 million remain alive today.

But MacArthur advocated action opposed by President Harry S. Truman and was stripped of his command. A military stalemate ensued, futile negotiations stalled and presidential candidate Dwight D. Eisenhower promised to go to Korea to resolve the conflict.

But who was Billy Harrison, two years behind Ike at West Point? As a cadet, then an officer — whether in peacetime or combat — Harrison was notable for his quiet but earnest Christian faith, disciplined by early morning Bible reading and prayer, yet his brothers-in-arms knew better than to mistake religious devotion for weakness.

World War II

Harrison and Eisenhower had been members of the War Plans Division, charged with reorganizing the Army’s high command immediately after the Pearl Harbor attack. Harrison produced the model eventually approved by President Franklin D. Roosevelt.

As assistant commander of the 30th Infantry Division, Harrison was fearless in battle, leading from his jeep through hedgerows and villages of Europe. Following D-Day, Harrison devised the plan to free Allied troops trapped on the Normandy peninsula. Later in the battle at Mortain, after an attack by “friendly fire,” he gathered his scattered forces to achieve victory, for which he was awarded the Distinguished Service Cross — the second highest decoration for military valor.

Harrison was more than a war hero, he was also a humanitarian. In April 1945, he and his task force came upon a train whose boxcars held 2,500 Jews abandoned by their concentration camp guards, eager to hide their guilt. According to the “Holocaust Encyclopedia,” “the 30th Infantry Division then initiated efforts to find shelter for the former prisoners so that they could be moved away from the filthy, jammed, evil-smelling railroad cars.”

Japan 

After Japan’s defeat, MacArthur chose Harrison as chief of reparations, the nasty job of “getting even” for Japanese atrocities. Harrison had no desire for sheer revenge and appealed to MacArthur with an alternative — namely, distributing copies of the Bible or selected texts.

He also invited former prisoners of war, such as Louis Zamperini, Olympic runner and raft survivor, to return to Japan as evangelists. Among their converts was Capt. Mitsuo Fuchida, the pilot who had led the attack on Pearl Harbor. 

Korean War

When the Korean War began, Harrison commanded the base at Fort Dix, New Jersey, preparing raw recruits for combat in Korea. Yearning for a battlefield role, he contented himself with making soldiers out of civilians and ending racial segregation in housing and training at Fort Dix — effectively throughout the U.S. Army. 

His eventual assignment in Korea was disappointing. Sent to be a member of the United Nations truce team, he was frustrated because every session consisted of the enemy’s harangue and propaganda. But in May 1952, when Harrison became senior delegate, the pattern changed. Even The New York Times, hostile to his efforts, noted: “From the start of his tenure as a negotiator in Korea, General Harrison had a style of talking bluntly or not at all. He appeared in open-collar khaki shirts, refusing to wear a dress uniform to face opponents he regarded with contempt as ‘common criminals.’ He walked out of the truce tent in June 1952, leaving General Nam Il of North Korea flabbergasted.”

Refusing to change tactics, an even greater surprise awaited the Communists when Harrison led a second exit for three days, then for 10 days; on Oct. 8, 1952, Harrison and his team left for more than six months.

Worldwide media excoriated Harrison, whose purpose was to deprive North Korean and Chinese propagandists of an audience for their lies about who had instigated the violation of the 38th parallel.

By April 26, 1953, the North Korean/Chinese delegation chose serious bargaining, accelerated by Eisenhower’s election and his military record.

The signing ceremony three months later could not have been less dramatic, lasting only 12 minutes. Harrison jumped off a helicopter, saluted his UN guard, seated himself at the table — Nam Il at an adjoining table — and signed copies in English, Korean and Chinese. Then, he rose and left Panmunjom for the last time.

Newspapers around the world headlined the story. Lt. Gen. William K. Harrison Jr. treated his role with self-effacing modesty: He had merely done his duty to the best of his ability.

Retirement

After retirement in 1957, Harrison spent the next three decades as executive or trustee for religious organizations, including president of Officers’ Christian Fellowship and board member at The Stony Brook School, where his younger son, the late Terry Harrison, was both an alumnus and faculty member.

During World War II, Gen. Harrison expressed professional respect for the common German soldier — distinct from SS or other Nazi-politicized officers. Citing his contempt for Chinese and North Korean officials, one can only suppose what might have been his attitude toward policies of subsequent American presidents — Nixon through Biden — in dealing with Kim Il Sung and his successors, including Kim Jong Un. 

No doubt, Billy Harrison would not have worn a tie for any of them either. He reported to a higher power. 

D. Bruce Lockerbie, a longtime resident of the Three Villages, is the author of more than 40 books, including “A Man Under Orders: Lieutenant General William K. Harrison, Jr.” (Harper & Row, 1979).

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Scott Martella. File photo

Join Suffolk County Executive Steve Bellone for a blood drive in honor of Scott Martella on Thursday, Aug. 3  at both the H. Lee Dennison Building, 100 Veterans Memorial Highway in Hauppauge, and the Suffolk County Fire Academy, 103 East Ave. in Yaphank from 9:30 a.m to 3:30 p.m. 

Martella, who was the Communications Director for Suffolk County, was killed in a three-car crash on the Long Island Expressway in Manorville in 2016 at the age of 29. 

“Scott Martella was one of the most dedicated public servants that I have had the pleasure to work with. He touched the lives of countless individuals and this year’s blood drive will help honor his passion for giving back and his commitment to serving others,” said Suffolk County Executive Bellone.

To schedule an appointment, call 888-933-2566.

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Gilgo Beach sign. Photo by Hector Mosley, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, New York District
By Carolyn Sackstein

The July 13 arrest of Rex Heuermann, of Massapequa Park, for the alleged murders of three women — Megan Waterman, Amber Costello and Melissa Barthelemy — has people talking. As investigations ramp up, TBR News Media interviewed mainly visitors to downtown Port Jefferson on Saturday, July 22, asking them for reactions to Heuermann’s arrest, evidence against him and closure for the victims’ families. One is presumed innocent until proven guilty.

— Photos by Carolyn Sackstein

 

 

Wilber Argutea, Bridgeport, Connecticut

Argutea suggested parents must do a better job raising children, promoting positive activities such as school and sports. He said, “We need more people in the community raising kids [to do] good. Teaching good stuff in schools, sports, so people stay away from [doing] bad things.”

 

 

 

 

 

Maddy Trotta, Glen Cove

Trotta expressed her concern, “It is just ridiculous to me that people can get away by doing that for such a long time and not get caught right away. Now that they got caught, I think they will pay the price for all they have done and the damage they have caused.”

 

 

 

Sarah Hull, Port Jefferson, and Thomas Hull, Wilmington, Delaware

Sarah was breathing a little easier with the arrest. She had heard that Heuermann had visited Port Jefferson years ago, explaining, “I found out that he had dinner at the Steam Room, and I used to work there — luckily not in the same year.” 

Thomas also weighed in on the alleged crimes. “I live out of state right now, so I got the news [from] people all over Long Island who kept texting me, ‘Did you hear the Gilgo Beach killer got caught? They caught the Gilgo Beach killer!’ I was driving in, driving past Massapequa Park. I said, ‘Oh my God, that’s the exit.’”

 

 

Marinka Buckley, West Hartford, Connecticut

When asked about the recent arrest, Buckley responded, “It brings you back to when they first were talking about it. I was surprised to hear who they had arrested. It seems like he was a normal guy, I guess. It’s interesting.”

 

 

 

 

Naomi Ponce, Bridgeport, Connecticut

“I saw the news a few days ago,” said Ponce. “I was surprised after so many years that they were looking for this person. I was happy that the families finally have closure. It must be terrible.”

 

 

 

 

 

Janet Ficht, Long Island

When asked about the arrest, Ficht said, “It was scary and crazy, but I’m glad they got him. It is unbelievable the stuff they are finding, how far back it goes and how many states it goes over. It’s crazy.” 

 

 

 

 

 

Matthew Kubelle, Suffolk County

When Kubelle was asked about the recent arrest and the evidence, he said, “It is great it finally happened, but obviously not how long it took. Closure for the families is great for them. I think it is a solid arrest. They have a lot of evidence, and he doesn’t have any clear alibis. And as more evidence comes up, he looks guilty. It’s about time we stopped this stuff.”

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300 Lights Pops Concert

In celebration of its 300th anniversary, Caroline Episcopal Church, 1 Dyke Road, Setauket invites the community to a free 300 Lights Pops Concert featuring the Sound Symphony Orchestra on the Setauket Village Green on Sunday, July 30 at 7:30 p.m. (This event was moved from July 29 due to the weather forecast.) Directed by Maestro Dorothy Savitch, the program will include works by Mozart, Gershwin, Puccini, Verdi, highlights from Grease and Wicked, and an Armed Forces Salute. Bring seating. 631-941-4245

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From left, PJSTCA President Ira Costell with Jessica Labia and Dwayne Brown of the Long Island Coalition for the Homeless. Photo by Aidan Johnson
By Aidan Johnson

The Port Jefferson Station/Terryville Civic Association addressed issues regarding the unhoused at its general meeting Tuesday, July 25.

The civic meeting was joined by Father Francis Pizzarelli, founder and executive director of Hope House Ministries in Port Jefferson, as well as officers from the Suffolk County Police Department and members of an organization that helps the homeless 

During the meeting, Pizzarelli shared his experience assisting the homeless, including his meeting of a homeless Vietnam war veteran 35 years ago who was sleeping in a box village in the middle of winter.

The distraught veteran, who was most likely struggling with post-traumatic stress disorder, came to Pizzarelli after one of his friends who was also living in the box village froze to death.

After finding there was little help offered for homeless veterans, Pizzarelli started Pax Christi Hospitality Center, an emergency shelter for men in Port Jefferson.

Pizzarelli expressed that a stronger partnership is needed between social services, the community and law enforcement. However, Pizzarelli also noted that law enforcement’s hands are tied in many situations, though they have always “been willing to be a part of the conversation.”

Pizzarelli highlighted the lack of treatment facilities and steps in place to help people in the homeless community.

“The social networking that was in place 35 years ago is nonexistent,” Pizzarelli said. “It’s just a repetitive cycle of setting people up for failure.”

For example, there is a lack of transitional housing for people once they leave a shelter such as Pax Christi, and the ones that are there, “you wouldn’t want a rat to live in,” he said.

A Suffolk County police officer spoke about what is and is not considered a crime when it comes to homelessness, and the role that the police can play.

“We’re not allowed to arrest people for being homeless, we’re not allowed to arrest people for begging,” the officer clarified.

“It used to be against the New York State Penal Law to stand in front of a business and beg. That was taken off the books, so what we’re left with is a [state] Vehicle and Traffic Law, because realistically, it’s not going to solve the problem, us arresting them at that specific moment,” the officer continued.

The officer said police can write a person a traffic ticket if they are on a road begging, which could possibly lead to a warrant and then an arrest, but reiterated the police cannot simply make an arrest for begging.

There are also laws in place that allow police to take a person into custody if they are deemed to be either a danger to themselves or others. However, the officer explained that the law’s threshold criteria is very high.

The police department has also put the Behavioral Health Unit to effect.

“We have these officers; they go out to these specific locations where the homeless people … are, and we try to attack it [by] offering them social services such as housing and drug counseling, and we hope that they will voluntarily take it,” the officer said.

Jessica Labia and Dwayne Brown of the Long Island Coalition for the Homeless were also in attendance to speak on issues. Labia furthered the point of the lack of resources, saying, “The more resources that are put into folks that are experiencing homelessness or low income on Long Island, the more we’re able to help them get into housing.”

She also suggested that arresting homeless people wasn’t helpful, as it can make it more difficult to house people when they have a criminal history.

Labia and Brown reminded everyone that homelessness was not just in the Port Jefferson Station area, but rather Long Island as a whole has between 3,000 and 4,000 homeless people on any given night.

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Front row, from left, members of Troop 1343: Logan G., Piper G., Emily S., and Hannah U.; back row, from left, Sarah Abruzzi, LIM Co-Executive Director, Operations; Lisa Unander, LIM Director of Education; and Joshua Ruff, LIM Co-Executive Director, Collections and Programming. Photo by Heidi Sutton
Fred Ellman works on the project with members of Brownie Troop 1343. Photo from LIM
Members of Brownie Troop 1343 paint the panels of the Little Free Library. Photo by Tara Mae
Hannah U. of Brownie Troop 1343 with parts of the Little Free Library. Photo by Tara Mae
Above, members of Brownie Troop 1343: back row, from left, Katherine F., Rogue C., Allison D., Matilda P., Emily S., Sheridan C., and Beatrix H.; front row, from left, Emma T., Layla J., Lily B., Hannah U., and Charlotte G. Photo by Tara Mae
The Popcorn Wagon in the museum's collection was the inspiration for the design of the Little Free Library.
A view of the Little Free Library at the LIM from the back. Photo by Heidi Sutton
The Little Free Library at the LIM is already full of books. Photo by Heidi Sutton
Above, Brownie Troop 1343 members Emily S., Piper G. and Hannah U. at the Little Free Library. Photo by Heidi Sutton
Above, Brownie Troop 1343 members Piper G, Emily S. and Hannah U. with a sample of books found in the Little Free Library. Photo by Heidi Sutton
The Long Island Museum now has a Little Free Library. Photo by Heidi Sutton

By Tara Mae

The chaos of creation yields the quietude of reflection. 

Newly installed at the Long Island Museum of Art, History, & Carriages (LIM), the Little Free Library came from just such a process. It was assembled by Brownie Troop 1343, which consists of fourteen local 3rd graders from the Three Village School District and horticultural art therapist/mediations instructor Fred Ellman, with troop co-leaders Lisa Unander, Kaethe Cuomo, and Christine Colavito offering practical support.

Cultivated from a sort magical mayhem on a series of manic Mondays as the girls painted their projects and maybe themselves, the Little Free Library is the result of artistic exuberance and pragmatic craftsmanship. Ellman previously worked with Unander on LIM’s In the Moment programs, which are garden activities designed for people with memory loss.

“To my pure delight, he volunteered to help us design and build the project! It was Fred’s idea to use the popcorn wagon [design], inspired by the Popcorn Wagon, 1907, C. Cretors & Company, Chicago, which is prominently featured in our carriage museum collection,” Unander, who is also LIM’s Director of Education, said.

Ellman donated his time, talents, and materials, functioning as artistic advisor, serene supervisor, and pragmatic visionary. He created a digital template and used that as the blueprint for the actual pieces of wood.   

“Lisa told me about this incredible project, and I really enjoy working with her. I wanted this library to be very playful and encourage children to come use books and connect to the  collection. With this installation, we are using a fresh way of looking at a free library, inviting and enticing patrons with its welcoming appearance,” Ellman said. 

This  22”x24” box, made of birch and cedar, is a blend of functional fun, with its bright colors and and unique shape. Installed adjacent to LIM”s aromatic herb garden, visitors will be able to take a book and immerse themselves in the stories as they settle in the tranquility of nature.

This visage belies the Brownies determined diligence in creating and maintaining the free library. A requirement for being formally recognized as an officially chartered member of the nonprofit Little Free Library network is that the girls are stewards of this installation. Each Brownie will be assigned certain weeks of the year to check on the library, including cleaning, maintaining, and restocking it as well as reporting any needs to Troop 1343.  

“To have a long term project that [the troop] could get excited about and work on collaboratively created responsibility and pride in what they accomplished,” Unander said. “Since all the girls live in the Three Village area, we know they will grow up helping keep the library well maintained and bring friends and family to see what they helped create.” 

For the Brownies, its motivations for the Little Free Library are multifaceted. Starting when the girls were Daisies, the Girl Scouts program for kindergarten-first grade, their meetings frequently commenced with a co-leader reading them a story that related to a project on which they were working.

“They always responded in a positive way to each book that was read to them and we felt it created a strong bond between the girls and the badges that they were about to take on,” said Unander. 

Then last year, the group began working on its World of Journey badges, a four part certification that focuses on “girls around the world and how stories can give you ideas for helping others,” according to Girl Scouts USA’s website.

Inspired by a pamphlet that depicted girls traveling the world in a flying bookmobile to learn about different cultures, and having recently read a book about Little Free Libraries’ founder Todd Bol, Troop 1343 decided to create a Little Free Library of its own in pursuit of the badges.

“Many troops do a simpler project to complete this journey, but we felt the girls in our troop were willing and ready to make a true and lasting impact,” Unander added. 

They were not the only ones embarking on a new adventure; it was Ellman’s first time constructing a free library too, though he anticipates it will not be his last. “I definitely want to build another one,” he said.  

As reading invites the imagination to explore, facilitating LIM’s free library has alerted everyone involved in this endeavor to other possibilities: Troop 1343 and its co-leaders are discussing developing a book about this process.  

“Fred had the idea of the girls creating a book that would tell visitors a little bit about them and some of their favorite books; I loved it,” Unander said. “Next year the girls will be Junior level Girl Scouts, and we plan to incorporate this project into our meetings. Ideally, this book would be attached to the Little Free Library onsite for all to read.”

In the meantime, the girls collected and donated their own books to launch the library. Given its location, Unander believes that as the library continues to expand its collection, visitors will be particularly inclined to leave books about art and history; its public accessibility binds the library to the community and encourages any visitor to the museum to indulge in the exchange of ideas. 

“We are grateful to our Co-Executive Directors Sarah Abruzzi and Joshua Ruff for enthusiastically giving us the green light to use this magnificent space to host our Little Free Library. We all feel this small structure will bring a large amount of joy to all who see it,” said Unander. 

To take a book, leave a book, visit the Long Island Museum, 1200 Route 25A, Stony Brook Thursdays to Sundays from noon to 5 p.m. To learn more about the museum’s exhibits and other programs, visit www.longislandmuseum.org. 

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