Community

Attendees of the gala made contact with the children at the Jerusha Mwiraria Hope Children’s Home in Meru, Kenya, via Skype. Photo by Stacey Young

The Rocky Point Rotary Club hosted the 5th annual Douglas J. McDonough Hope Children’s Fund Gala on Saturday, March 11, at the Inn and Spa at East Wind in Wading River.

This annual event benefits the Jerusha Mwiraria Hope Children’s Home in Meru, Kenya. Douglas McDonough was a former secretary of HCF who accomplished much for the orphanage despite being paralyzed.

Rocky Point Rotary Club president Kevin Mann detailed McDonough’s perseverance and drive in the face of his physical condition.

“Nothing ever stopped him,” Mann said. “No one ever even asked about his injury because he did everything,” adding, “He taught at BOCES in the middle school level for kids who got thrown out of their schools — in a wheelchair. He was just an amazing guy.”

Mann also outlined the central motivations for the gala, affirming that the annual event has been perennially instrumental in enabling educational opportunities for the children at Hope Children’s Home.

Rocky Point Rotary Club president Kevin Mann delivered a speech during the event. Photo by Stacey Young

“The premise of the gala is to raise funds and provide educational opportunities for orphans in Kenya,” he said. “This event will supply enough funds to send 45 children with secondary and postsecondary education for a trimester,” adding, “We raise a tremendous amount of money for that cause.”

Mann chronicled the orphanage’s history, stating the earliest organizers first laid plans for the home in 2000. In 2003, the organization became a 501(c)(3) charity, and in 2005 the organizers opened the orphanage.

Children entering the home come from varied and often difficult backgrounds, according to Mann. “There’s a wide range of how they arrive at the door,” he said.

Moreover, membership has grown considerably during its nearly two decades in operation. “The goal was 18 children,” Mann said. “We have [over] 90 today.”

One of the unique characteristics of HCF is its organizational structure. The U.S.-based operation is entirely volunteer driven, with salaries paid out exclusively to employees in Kenya supervising the care of the children.

“In this particular case, everybody can say that 100% [of the proceeds go] to the cause,” Mann said.

One such HCF employee is Veronica Ntinyari, who runs the orphanage. In a series of text exchanges via WhatsApp, Ntinyari explained how the funds from the gala would assist the children under her care.

“The funds raised help to support the orphanage in paying their school fees, food, clothing, medical care and other necessities in the home,” she said.

Veronica Ntinyari, above, runs the Jerusha Mwiraria Hope Children’s Home in Meru, Kenya. Photo courtesy Ntinyari

Sonia Saleh is district governor for Rotary District 7255, which covers 62 Rotary Clubs throughout Long Island, including Brooklyn and Queens. She praised the Rocky Point Rotary for its initiative concerning HCF.

“The Rotary Club of Rocky Point has taken this cause on,” she said, adding, “This Rotary Club is all about peace and internationalism, which is so wonderful.”

Mann maintained that the HCF gala closely corresponds to the stated purpose and vision of Rotary International. “It fits very much under the concerns of Rotary, and literacy is one of the major components of Rotary as well,” he said.

Saleh added to this sentiment. “Rotary is about two things — it’s about service and community,” the district governor said. “The point is we come together for service first, and then there are the community and friendships, which is beautiful.”

Through HCF and Rocky Point Rotary, Ntinyari said she feels associated to the people of Rocky Point and the greater Long Island community. 

“Me and the children feel connected to Long Island community members, especially during their visits in Meru,” she said.

To learn more about Hope Children’s Fund or to make a donation, visit hopechildrensfund.org.

Pixabay photo

Managed parking in the Village of Port Jefferson has gone live.

Starting on Wednesday, March 15, paid parking in the village is active seven days a week, from noon to 11 p.m. Rates are $0.50 per hour from Monday through Thursday and $1 per hour from Friday through Sunday.

This season, the village is embarking on new tweaks to its system, metering vehicles by plate number instead of space number. 

Parking meters and the village-operated digital parking software, Honk, will ask parkers for their license plate numbers. Parkers with valid handicap permits will park free of charge.

This parking season, the village has also introduced the License Plate Reader permitting system, enabling residents to park at village lots without a sticker. To apply for a resident, owner or rental permit, visit: portjeff.com/residentparking.

Aubrey Johnson will be at the Jazz Loft on March 25.

Jazz music will once again fill the air as the Swing Into Spring Festival returns to the North Shore from March 21 to 25, bringing with it an assortment of opportunities to hear live Jazz music. The five-day musical event will culminate in concert performances by the Aubrey Johnson Quartet and Carlos Jimenez Mambo Dulcet, and a Collegiate Big Band Brawl, Community Jazz Night and Jam Session Techniques Workshop.

The Swing into Spring Festival is the creation of Suffolk County Legislator Kara Hahn in partnership with Thomas Manuel, President and Founder of The Jazz Loft in Stony Brook and will be held at The Jazz Loft and in local shops and restaurants, including Sweet Mama’s, Stony Brook Chocolate, The Country House, Madiran Wine Bar, Bliss and The Three Village Inn.

“I think it is wonderful that [the Three Village area] will be alive with the sounds of Jazz for a week,” said Manuel. “The Swing Into Spring Festival has grown year after year into this wonderful mini-festival that truly brings the town to life and attracts folks from all over Long Island. We’re honored to be presenting such a diverse and unique blend of artists this year and also to be extending the invitation to young and upcoming artists.”

“Just as hearing that first songbird of the year warms spirits that have been chilled by the winter cold, so too does that first note of ‘Swing into Spring’ within this vibrant community eager to welcome locals, tourists, and music lovers back,” said Leg. Hahn.

Schedule of events

Tuesday, March 21

Collegiate Big Band Brawl                                                     

The Swing Into Spring Festival will kick off with a Collegiate Big Band Brawl where Long Island’s collegiate Jazz Ensembles face off in a battle royale! Stony Brook University’s Blowage Big Band will be performing against ensemble groups from Hofstra and Long Island University (Post) at the Jazz Loft, 275 Christian Ave., Stony Brook at 7 p.m. Tickets are $30 adults, $25 seniors, $20 students, $15 children at www.thejazzloft.org.

An evening of jazz from 6 to 8 p.m.

— Bliss Restaurant, 766 Route 25A, East Setauket welcomes Steve Salerno on guitar and Tom Manuel on cornet.

Sweet Mama’s Restaurant, 121 Main St., Stony Brook welcomes Frank Hansen on bass and Chris Donohue on tenor sax.

— Madiran Wine Bar, 209 Route 25A, East Setauket welcomes Dean Johnson on bass and Kevin Clark on guitar.

Wednesday, March 22 

Improvisation & Jam Session Techniques Workshop        

On the second day of the Swing Into Spring Festival, The Jazz Loft will host a workshop focused on improvisation followed by a jam session where Jazz musicians can collaborate on stage from 4 to 5:30 p.m. Featuring Dean Johnson on bass, Rich Iacona on piano, Tom Manuel on cornet and Ellis Holmes on drums Tickets are $10. Visit www.thejazzloft.org.

Jam Session at the Jazz Loft

The Jazz Loft  hosts a Jam Session featuring The Jazz Loft Trio led by Keenan Zachfrom 7 to 9:30 p.m.  Tickets are $10, $5 after 8 p.m.

An evening of jazz from 6 to 8 p.m. 

— Madiran Wine Bar, 209 Route 25A, East Setauket welcomes Steve Salerno on guitar, and Tom Manuel on cornet.

— Sweet Mama’s Restaurant, 121 Main St., Stony Brook welcomes Kevin Clark on guitar and Frank Hansen on bass.

— Three Village Inn, 150 Main St., Stony Brook welcomes the The Jazz Loft Trio (Dean Johnson on bass, Rich Iacona on piano and Ellis Holmes on drums).

— Country House Restaurant, 1175 North Country Road, Stony Brook presents Lee Tamboulian on piano.

Thursday, March 23 

Jimenez Mambo Dulcet in concert                                           

Carlos Jimenez Mambo Dulcet is a NYC based salsa band and will be performing at The Jazz Loft at 7 p.m. Tickets are $30 adults, $25 seniors, $20 students, $15 children at www.thejazzloft.org.

An evening of jazz from 6 to 8 p.m. 

— Country House Restaurant, 1175 North Country Road, Stony Brook welcomes Rich Iacona on piano and Tom Manuel on cornet.

Friday, March 24 

Community Jazz Night                                                                

The Jazz Loft hosts a Community Jazz Night at 7 p.m. with multiple local jazz acts performing including The Bay Big Band, Moment’s Notice, and the Keenan Zach Trio. Tickets are $30 adults, $25 seniors, $20 students, $15 children at www.thejazzloft.org.

Saturday, March 25 

Aubrey Johnson Quartet in concert                                                        

For the final day of the Swing Into Spring Festival, the Jazz Loft will present New York based vocalist, composer, and educator Aubrey Johnson in concert at 7 p.m. with Tomoko Omura on violin, Chris McCarthy on piano, and Matt Aronoff on bass. Tickets are $30 adults, $25 seniors, $20 students, $15 children at www.thejazzloft.org.

An afternoon of jazz

Stony Brook Chocolate, 143 Main St., Stony Brook welcomes Mike Hall on bass and Steve Salerno on guitar from 4 to 6 p.m. *Featuring $5 hot chocolate you can make with a chocolate instrument for sale.

Funding for the Festival comes in part from the Suffolk County Department of Economic Development & Planning and Suffolk County Legislator Kara Hahn and the Al Greiman Cabaret Series.

Graphic from PJSD website
By Mallie Jane Kim

Port Jefferson School District residents will have another chance to vote on a capital bond to fund school improvement projects, this time for $15.9 million. 

This vote — scheduled for Tuesday, May 16 — comes just after the community rejected a pair of proposed bonds totaling $24.9 million last December. The district’s Board of Education approved putting the bond up for community approval at a meeting Tuesday, March 14, with the support of all six members present — trustee Ravi Singh was absent.

If the current proposal passes, taxpayers will pay for the bond in installments over several years. The vote will take place alongside the vote to approve next year’s annual district budget.

School officials suggest the proposal is more modest than the pair of bonds voted down in December, making no mention of replacing the high school’s grass sports field with artificial turf, a point of contention last time. 

This bond would fund improvements to, for example, locker rooms, heating, cooling and ventilation systems, and alterations to some interior spaces. The details of this plan are on file for public review in the district clerk’s office, and the district will post more information about the new bond under the “Bond Project” tab of its website.

The board also plans to allocate more money toward capital improvement projects in the annual budget, according to Deputy Superintendent Sean Leister, which would help to pay for some facility update priorities and better plan for future needs. 

“Seeing how difficult it is to go out for a bond and how hard times are, we were talking about gradually increasing the allocation,” he said while presenting the second draft of the district’s 2023-24 budget to the board. He added that he hoped this plan would mitigate the need for additional capital bonds in the foreseeable future.

Leister explained that updates to school infrastructure, health and safety — including security — and instructional classrooms would all be considered in school budgets moving forward. 

“We thought by trying to incorporate those three things in future budgets, we can help bring up the level of our areas and the learning of our students,” he said.

Immediate plans for these funds include creating an ADA-compliant bathroom at the elementary school, installing a stop-arm security booth at car entrances to the middle school and high school, beginning a window replacement plan at the high school and refitting some classrooms. 

Leister also noted science and computer labs would be due for remodeling, adding that “all the different areas that are functional but are maybe [from] the ‘70s or ‘80s and need to be brought up to current levels.” 

Furthermore, Leister said stop-arm security booths are necessary because some GPS mapping apps list school driveways as regular roads and the administration wants to limit cut-through traffic.

The current draft version of next year’s school budget has a shortfall of $222,547. Superintendent of Schools Jessica Schmettan said this would be filled by staffing reductions to be decided before Leister presents the final budget to the board in April. 

The board plans to increase the tax levy by 1.98%, just under the 1.99% cap set for the district by state regulations

Workers install a water quality unit at East Setauket Pond Park. Photo by Rita J. Egan

Residents passing by East Setauket Pond Park have noticed the area has been fenced off recently.

At the March Three Village Civic Association meeting, Town of Brookhaven Councilmember Jonathan Kornreich (D-Stony Brook) updated members on the work being done on the pond. Two water quality units are being installed to capture road runoff, such as sediment and floatables, from Route 25A and interconnected town roads before the debris goes into Setauket Harbor.

In an email, Veronica King, Brookhaven’s stormwater manager, said the project is expected to take approximately two months.

The current and past work at the park has been a result of a $1 million clean water grant for the Town of Brookhaven that former state Sen. John Flanagan (R-East Northport) secured in 2016.

George Hoffman, one of the founders of Setauket Harbor Task Force, said in a phone interview that he was pleased that the units would be finally installed.

“It’s critical to improving water quality in Setauket Harbor,” he said. “The harbor is struggling. We haven’t been able to clam there for 22 years. It’s unsafe to take clams from that harbor, and that’s based on bacteria in the area and a lot of the bacteria comes in through the stormwater.”

He added the filtering of road runoff would also lessen how often the pond has to be dredged.

At the civic meeting, Kornreich also told the attendees that the town recently purchased the property where East Setauket Automotive stands today with the hopes of building a larger park in the future. In a phone interview, Kornreich said the auto and truck repair shop will remain until 2025, and he said the town plans to be sensitive to the needs of businesses surrounding the park. 

An assortment of cannabis products resembling household children's foods and snacks. Photo courtesy the Town of Brookhaven Drug Prevention Coalition

Public officials and drug prevention advocates are sounding the alarm over cannabis products packaged for children.

During a recent Port Jefferson Station/Terryville Civic Association meeting, civic vice president Sal Pitti circulated a flier revealing various cannabis products resembling commonplace children’s foods and household snacks. 

Pitti, who is also active with the Town of Brookhaven’s Drug Prevention Coalition, suggested these products are branded for children and attributes the problem to false advertising.

“We all grew up with Trix and Cocoa Pebbles when we were kids,” he said. “It’s a branding that people know, they recognize and might more easily purchase.”

‘This is going to open up a door to our youth that’s going to hurt them. This is just a bomb that’s waiting to go off.’

—Sal Pitti

Pitti detailed several potential dangers associated with tetrahydrocannabinol, the active ingredient in marijuana commonly known as THC, getting into the hands of young people. He said processed edible cannabis often has exponentially higher THC concentrations, which can get kids hooked on the substance more efficiently and create a gateway to harder drugs.

Recent statistics from the National Institute on Drug Abuse substantiate this claim. Samples analyzed by the U.S. Drug Enforcement Agency since 1995 indicate that today’s cannabis products are nearly four times as potent as those collected in that year.

“They’ve sophisticated this technique to great extents,” Pitti said. “Now they’re making gummies, candies, granola bars, honeys and spreads out of this stuff. But the problem is, in processing all of this, that THC level has gone up dramatically.”

Pitti said packaging highly potent THC products to children signals potentially severe societal harm. “This is going to open up a door to our youth that’s going to hurt them,” he said. “This is just a bomb that’s waiting to go off.”

A crisis for children

Pitti is not alone in these concerns. Suffolk County Legislator Kara Hahn (D-Setauket) has introduced legislation targeting the practice. 

Her bill cites the risks associated with underage THC consumption, such as impaired memory and coordination, and the potential for hallucinations and paranoia among minors. 

In an interview, Hahn suggested marketing cannabis in a manner that makes it desirable to children represents a public safety hazard.

“If it’s intentionally designed to look like candy, the purpose is to confuse the consumer,” she said, adding, “If an adult purchases marijuana gummies that are packaged similarly to candy-type gummies and a young child gets their hands on it and eats it unknowingly, that’s a very dangerous situation for the child.”

Hahn’s bill would require packaging of THC products to be plain, containing clear warning labels and prohibiting the words “candy” or “candies.” She noted that the measure’s goal is to make THC products less enticing to kids.

“The packaging of the products is incredibly important,” the county legislator said, stating the bill would prevent merchants from “mimicking candy wrappers, having logos that are like cartoons or characters or having flavors that are attractive to children.”

Suffolk County Legislator Sarah Anker (D-Mount Sinai), chair of the county’s Addiction Prevention and Support Advisory Panel, has signed on as a co-sponsor to Hahn’s bill. She referred to child-friendly THC packaging as a harmful way for cannabis sellers to market their products.

“These cannabis folks see this as a marketing strategy,” she said. “It’s creating a problem, we know for a fact, and we’re trying to address that.”

State oversight

Marijuana was legalized in New York state in 2021 under the Marihuana Regulation and Taxation Act. The New York State Office of Cannabis Management is the regulatory arm overseeing the licensure, production, sale and taxation of cannabis throughout the state. In an email statement, the office confirmed the uptick in packaging branded for children.

“We have seen illicit sellers marketing products clearly imitating candies and snacks that target children,” said Lyla Hunt, OCM’s deputy director of public health and campaigns. “New York State would never allow those products to be sold in licensed cannabis dispensaries. Our enforcement teams are working every day to shut those sellers down.”

Further compounding the issue, Hunt added that illicit dealers often do not follow the same protocols as their licensed counterparts. “We also have heard reports unlicensed storefronts are not checking ID when selling illicit cannabis products, heightening the importance of shuttering these operators before they can do more harm,” she said.

According to her, OCM has worked to curtail the issue through stringent guidelines, putting forth regulations regarding packaging, labeling and marketing to mitigate this technique. 

“We at New York State’s Office of Cannabis Management are committed to building a safe, regulated cannabis industry for consumers ages 21 and over that also protects those under 21,” the deputy director said.

OCM’s regulations concerning packaging echo several of the items raised in Hahn’s bill, restricting words such as “candy” and “candies” while mandating that packages be resealable, child-resistant and tamper evident. The guidelines also limit the use of cartoons, bubble-type fonts and bright colors on the packaging.

Despite OCM’s approach, Anker said the work of local and state government remains unfinished. “More must be done,” the county legislator said. She added, “This product is legally new to the market, and you need to be aware and do your part as a parent and as a teacher … to protect the kids.”

Pictured from left, PJCC Director James Luciano; Vincenza Anselmo; PJCC Director Mary Joy Pipe; owners Theresa Livingston and Anthony Anselmo; and Bill and Terry Livingston

The Bar Method Port Jeff Village celebrated its grand opening on March 11 with a ribbon cutting hosted by the Port Jefferson Chamber of Commerce (PJCC), light refreshments and a champagne toast. 

Located inside the Harbor Square Mall at 134 Main Street, Port Jefferson, the franchise is a boutique fitness studio offering barre classes for students of all levels. 

According to the website, the signature method uses your own body weight, the ballet barre and a few props to create a transformative workout that results in long, lean sculpted muscles. Highly-trained instructors customize the exercises to ensure they are safe and effective for any age and every body, including modifications for pregnant women and students with injuries. Studio amenities include lockers, a beauty bar, showers, childcare, free parking and more. 

For more information, call 631-828-1474 or visit [email protected].

To learn more about The Bar Method, read TBR News Media’s article, “Bar Method franchise to open studio in Port Jefferson Village” by Julianne Mosher here.

From left, Arthur Giove Jr., Brookhaven Town Clerk Kevin LaValle and Camille Giove. Photo from Town of Brookhaven

On March 7, Brookhaven Town Clerk Kevin LaValle visited with Arthur Giove, Jr. and Camille Giove at the newly reopened Giove Funeral Home located at 1000 Middle Country Road in Selden. 

The business was temporarily closed as a result of extensive fire damage on the night of May 25, 2021. After being closed for nearly two years, the Giove Funeral Home will hold a dedication ceremony on April 29 at 3 p.m. in honor of Arthur Giove, Sr., who passed away in 2022. Giove Funeral Home first opened in 1965. 

Prior to being elected to his current position in January 2023, Town Clerk LaValle served as the Councilman in District 3 which included the Giove Funeral Home. He and his office staff assisted the Giove family to get though the process of demolition, rebuilding and reopening.

“The Giove family has been a staple in the community for nearly 60 years and they needed assistance to get through the process of reopening. Arthur and Camille are always ready to help when asked and they always come through. It was my turn to reciprocate for all they have done to make the Selden community the best it can be,” said Town Clerk LaValle.

“It is a privilege to be back in the community that my family has served in for the last few decades. Thank you to the Town of Brookhaven for helping me through the entire building process and getting us back up and running so we can once again help families during some of the most difficult times and thank you to the Selden Fire Department for all you did to save our building 21 months ago,” said Arthur Giove, Jr.

Pixabay photo

Correction: Good Energy is New York-based

First, thank you for the in-depth March 9 article about Community Choice Aggregation in Long Island. It is a well-written article that shares much important information about CCA programs. 

Long Island residents and businesses can benefit from such programs for years, so the more information, the better. Such CCA programs will enable Long Islanders to secure stable, low energy rates and also feature renewable energy options. That is, indeed, important news for Long Islanders.

As a media contact for Good Energy, I would like to add a small — but important — correction and a clarification to that article. 

Good Energy is mentioned as being a London-based company. It’s an understandable error because there is a United Kingdom-based company with the same name as ours. However, Good Energy LLC is based in Manhattan, with employees on Long Island and has been helping New York and other states create CCA programs for more than 20 years. 

 For our company, it’s important that residents of the Town of Brookhaven and the rest of Long Island know we are a New York-based business working for New Yorkers. We look forward to serving Brookhaven as the energy consultant for their CCA program. Part of that service is providing Brookhaven with new, exciting renewable energy options. 

 I would also request that your publication clarifies the scope of Good Energy’s CCA program: The Town of Brookhaven’s Community Choice Aggregation Program is for gas, electricity and renewable energy. 

In fact, Good Energy is currently working with Brookhaven officials to develop such renewable energy projects. More news about that will be coming soon.

Doug Donaldson

Media Representative

Good Energy LLC

New York

Fund the state’s new campaign finance program

In a representative democracy, money should not be the determining factor in whether a person can run for public office. When working-class people run and serve in public office, our government works better for working families. Yet too often, the process is dictated by wealthy donors and special interest groups, making it difficult for the average person to run for office and win. The New York State Public Campaign Finance Program would help to change that.

This new state program would eliminate barriers and level the playing field for good, qualified people to run for public office. Under the new system, individual contributions of between $5 and $250 would be eligible for public matching funds, enabling candidates — incumbents and challengers — to spend their time fundraising among more of the people they seek to represent, as opposed to wealthy megadonors. This makes it easier for ordinary people without access to wealth to run for office, with the support of our communities.

Instead of officeholders who are beholden to corporate donations, special interests and megadonors, they would be listening to constituents who built their campaign, one small donation at a time. Furthermore, these small donors would be engaged in the process to a greater degree, as they have a personal connection with the candidate who represents them and the community. This is what a government of, by and for the people is all about.

Unfortunately, no one will be able to make use of public campaign finance if there is no funding allocated to the program. Our legislators must take bold action and fully fund the Public Campaign Finance Program this year, so that candidates can begin using it in the 2024 election cycle, as the law intended. This funding must be a part of our fiscal year 2024 budget that is currently being negotiated in Albany.

We in Suffolk County know all too well that special interests dominate the process. Special interests who hold power with our Republican and Conservative county legislators that killed Suffolk County’s public campaign finance program before it began. We cannot let this happen again at the state level. I urge you to let your state legislators know that you support New York’s Public Campaign Finance Program, and that you want your government to represent you, not the special interest groups. That is the leadership and democracy we deserve.

Shoshana Hershkowitz

South Setauket

Friendly, generous people

I would like to share how my wife and I have twice been the recipients of little acts of kindness.

The first occurred when we were dining in a Port Jefferson restaurant with another couple. The man, John, was telling us that he had fought in Europe in World War II. A few minutes later, our waitress informed us that the people in the next booth had paid for John’s meal. A thank-you for his service. We, of course, went to their booth and thanked them. 

More recently my wife and I had finished lunch at Outback Steakhouse in East Setauket, and the check arrived. The total appeared to be wrong, and I asked our waitress about it. She explained that the couple at the next table had some money left on their gift card and requested that it be applied to our bill. Unfortunately, they had left before we learned this, and we could not thank them. Whoever you are, if you read this: A profound thank-you for your generosity. I will pay it forward.

Steven Perry

Rocky Point

On the road again

March 12 was the 101st anniversary of East Northport resident Jack Kerouac’s birth.

It made me reread one of his best writings, “On the Road.” His works remind me of the more adventurous spirit of youth.

Sadly, as we get older, with more responsibilities and less free time, there are fewer journeys to take, but the ideals of Kerouac continue to live in all of us.

Larry Penner

Great Neck

WRITE TO US … AND KEEP IT LOCAL 

We welcome your letters, especially those responding to our local coverage, replying to other letter writers’ comments and speaking mainly to local themes. Letters should be no longer than 400 words and may be edited for length, libel, style, good taste and uncivil language. They will also be published on our website. We do not publish anonymous letters. Please include an address and phone number for confirmation. 

Email letters to: [email protected]

or mail them to TBR News Media, P.O. Box 707, Setauket, NY 11733

Susie Q

MEET SUSIE Q!

Susie Q

This week’s featured shelter pet is Susie Q, a 10-year-old female Calico who arrived at the Smithtown Animal Shelter after her human companion passed away. 

Susie Q loved her dad so much, and it is taking her some time to open up to new humans. While she certainly has a shy side and likes her alone time, she is very loving and sweet to people she’s comfortable with. She happily lived with two other cats in the past, so she can be adopted into a house with other feline siblings. 

This sweetheart would do best in a patient and quiet home without any children. If you would like to meet Susie Q, please call ahead to schedule an hour to properly interact with her in a domestic setting.

The Smithtown Animal & Adoption Shelter is located at 410 Middle Country Road, Smithtown. Visitor hours are currently Monday to Saturday from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. (Sundays and Wednesday evenings by appointment only). For more information, call 631-360-7575 or visit www.townofsmithtownanimalshelter.com.