ROADSIDE POP
Dawn Olenick captured this incredible sunset in her hometown of of Baiting Hollow on March 27. She writes, ‘[Just] Mother Nature doing her thang!’
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Sweetbriar Nature Center Egg Hunt gets special visitor
HELLO DEER!
Charlotte the deer stopped by Sweetbriar Nature Center’s socially distanced Egg Hunt and Magical Spring Walk Through the Enchanted Forest event on April 3. She met the Easter Bunny and then browsed the gift tables before selecting a stuffed deer toy aptly named ‘Charlotte’! Check out future events at the center by visiting www.sweetbriarnc.org.
Shelter Pet of the Week: Mia
MEET MIA – AGAIN!
This week’s shelter pet is Mia is a 3-year-old mastiff/pit/lab mix who is still waiting at the Smithtown Animal Shelter for her furever home.
Mia is stunningly beautiful, goofy and playful. Because she lacked proper socialization in her puppy years, she tends to distrust strangers. She needs someone who is willing to give her time to trust; then you will be rewarded with kisses, cuddles and slobber. Once she trusts someone, it is forever.
Mia would be best suited as an only pet in an adult only home. She is spayed, microchipped and is up to date on her vaccines. If you are interested in meeting Mia please call ahead to schedule an hour to properly interact with her in a domestic setting, which includes a Meet and Greet Room, the dog runs and a Dog Walk trail.
The Smithtown Animal & Adoption Shelter is located at 410 Middle Country Road, Smithtown. Shelter operating hours are currently Monday to Saturday 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. (Sundays and Wednesday evenings by appointment only). Call 631-360-7575 or visit www.smithtownanimalshelter.com.
Meet the Reboli Center’s April Artisan of the Month: Janet Zug
The Reboli Center for Art and History, 64 Main Street, Stony Brook is pleased to name Janet Zug as its artisan of the month for April. “I discovered Janet while looking for some handmade glass for the Design Shop. I searched the internet and found several glass blowers, but I loved her pieces and contacted her. Janet agreed to sell her work at the Center, and we have done very well with her beautiful creations,” said Lois Reboli, founder of the Reboli Center and wife of the late artist, Joseph Reboli.
Janet started blowing glass in 1990. She answered an ad in the local newspaper for a glass blower apprentice and no experience was necessary. The position was with Simon Pearce, a famous glass production studio in Vermont. She got the job and after five days, fell in love with the art of glass blowing. When she was done for the day, she was allowed to work on her own designs. In 1992, she founded her own business and rented space from other studios to make her creations. In 2004, she installed her own hot shop at her studio in Vermont, where she lives.
According to Janet, “I am inspired by function and beauty. A piece should be useful and pretty, such as my hanging vases. I love making drinking glasses as you can use them, enjoy them, wash them and they are so personal. There are so many things I love about glassblowing. First there’s the hot stuff itself, what a crazy medium to play with! Then there’s the challenge of executing high quality work from this pot of hot goo. I never get tired of it because it’s always changing. Blowing glass is the best part, of course, but being a productive business person is equally as important as designing work that I am proud of.”
Her studio is open on Saturdays from Thanksgiving until Christmas and visitors can take a class, where she will help someone make a piece. For more information, visit her website at www.zugglassblower.com
Janet Zug’s hand-blown glass is for sale in the Reboli Center’s Design Shop. The Center is open Tuesday – Saturday from 11 a.m. – 5 p.m. and Sunday from 1 p.m. – 5 p.m.
Lois Reboli, president of the Reboli Center, noted that, “The Center is adhering to CDC, New York State and Suffolk County coronavirus guidelines, which limits the number of attendees at one time and requires all visitors to wear a mask and socially distance. Please be assured that staff and volunteers will wear masks, and do continuous cleaning and sanitizing.
For more information, call 631-751-7707.
Spring into history! Tour two historic properties in Huntington this weekend
The weather looks lovely this weekend so the Huntington Historical Society will be offering tours of two of their historic properties!
The David Conklin Farmhouse, 2 High Street, Huntington will be open on Sunday, April 11 from 1 to 4 p.m.
This farmhouse was built c. 1750 and is on the National Register of Historic Places. Originally the home of David and Sybel Conklin, the house was occupied by the Conklin family for over one-hundred and fifty years.
A volunteer docent will lead you through the original rooms of the house where Sybel Conklin and her children lived and worked while her husband, David, was held prisoner by the British in 1777. You will also see rooms decorated to reflect the Federal and Victorian periods. Stop by to get a spring dose of local history! Admission is a suggested donation of $4 per person. Parking is available on site. Masks are required.
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Soldiers and Sailors BuildingThe Soldiers and Sailors Memorial Building, 228 Main St., Huntington will be open on April 11 as well from 1 to 4 p.m. (free admission). The building was completed in 1892 as a memorial to the 40 townsmen who died in the Civil War.
The idea for a memorial was first proposed in 1865. Huntington’s leading citizens joined together to create The Soldiers and Sailors Memorial Association in 1886 and fundraising efforts finally bore fruit when the building was completed in 1892. It is the first of several monumental civic structures built in Huntington in the two decades surrounding the turn of the twentieth century.
This building, which you see before you as you leave downtown Huntington going east, was used as the town library. After the library moved to its current location at the other end of Main Street in 1958, the building was used by the Huntington school district. From 1969 on it became home to the Town Historian. In 2000, the Association donated the building to the Huntington Historical Society. The Society undertook an ambitious eight year restoration project and re-opened it as a museum in 2008.
Today, the building houses the Society’s History and Decorative Arts Museum and features changing exhibits from the Historical Society’s collection. It is listed on the National Register of Historic Places, and as part of Old Town Hall National Register Historic District.
Parking is available on site and masks are required.
APDA kicks off Parkinson’s Disease Awareness Month
April is Parkinson’s Disease Awareness Month and the American Parkinson Disease Association (APDA) Information and Referral Center at St Catherine of Siena Wellness Center in Suffolk Count is hard at work to raise awareness of Parkinson’s disease (PD), deliver vital programs and services in the community, and help local residents get involved and support a cause that is important to them. The APDA Information and Referral Center has a full roster of activities planned for the month (and beyond) and many ways for people to get involved. (For the safety of all involved, all events and programs are held virtually.)
The extensive health concerns and restrictions of the COVID-19 pandemic have been challenging for everyone, but for people with PD and their care partners who were already tackling the daily challenges of life with PD, the impact has been significant. Now more than ever, it is critical to support, engage and inform the PD community and raise awareness about this disease, and Parkinson’s Disease Awareness Month is a great time to shine a spotlight on this issue.
Over the past year, APDA has created extensive virtual programming to make sure that people living with PD have what they need during this difficult time. From online exercise programs to help keep people moving when they can’t get to their in-person fitness classes to educational webinars where they can ask PD experts their questions right from their own living rooms, and even virtual group singing and art programs — APDA has been there for them every step of the way.
For the month of April, the APDA Information and Referral Center at St Catherine of Siena Wellness Center will hold a Parkinson Disease Seminar, Loud and Lyrical Therapeutic Singing Group, APDA Press Program for those diagnosed 5 years or under, and Support groups for both those with Parkinson Disease and their Care-partners as well.
“Every nine minutes there is a new diagnosis of PD, which means that in April alone nearly 5,000 people in this country will learn they have PD,” states Julie Garofalo, RN Coordinator of APDA’s Information and Referral Center at St Catherine’s. “Here in Suffolk County, New York we are the boots on the ground – we are in the communities, providing the support, education, programs, and services people need to live their best lives. We’ve been able to maintain this support despite the pandemic thanks to virtual opportunities, and we look forward to seeing our PD community in person as soon as it is safe to do so.”
The support of the general public is crucial, and April is the perfect time to take action that can help the more than one million people in the United States coping with this chronic neurological movement disorder, and also fund research that will lead us to better treatments and ultimately, a cure. Visit www.apdaparkinson.org to learn more.
For more information about APDA programs, services and support in Suffolk County NY, contact the APDA Information and Referral Center at St Catherine of Siena Wellness Center at 631-862-3560 or [email protected]
About the American Parkinson Disease Association:
The American Parkinson Disease Association (APDA) is the largest grassroots network dedicated to fighting Parkinson’s disease (PD) and works tirelessly to help the more than 1 million Americans with PD live life to the fullest in the face of this chronic, neurological disorder. Founded in 1961, APDA has raised and invested more than $207 million to provide outstanding patient services and educational programs, elevate public awareness about the disease, and support research designed to unlock the mysteries of PD and ultimately put an end to this disease. To join us in the fight against Parkinson’s disease and to learn more about the support APDA provides nationally through our network of Chapters and Information & Referral (I&R) Centers, as well as our national Research Program and Centers for Advanced Research, please visit us at www.apdaparkinson.org.
Long Island Museum presents A Conversation with Artist Daniel Pollera
Join the Long Island Museum in Stony Brook for a captivating live Zoom conversation with Long Island artist Daniel Pollera, a painter who has built a successful career capturing the coastal environments and architecture he knows intimately with great, soulful precision, on Sunday, April 11 at 2 p.m.
Pollera has work in the collections of the Parrish Art Museum, Guild Hall, and the Long Island Museum. He regularly shows his oil paintings in several East End Long Island galleries and at Sorelle Gallery, in Connecticut. He has had decades of national success in publishing and distributing prints of his work with Fairfield Art Publishing, LLC. Most recently, his painting The Goodwin Bay House (2017) is a featured work displayed in LIM’s Twin Peeks exhibition.
Speaking live from his studio, Pollera will talk with LIM’s Chief Curator and Deputy Director Joshua Ruff about his techniques, materials, and his process of creation
To reserve your place, please email: [email protected]
You will receive an email within 48 hours to confirm your spot and a Zoom link before the event.
Community blood drive heads to Smith Haven Mall
Senator Mario R. Mattera will host a blood drive at the Smith Haven Mall, Moriches Road, Lake Grove on Thursday, April 8 from noon to 6 p.m. at the mall’s Center Court. “Due to the ongoing crisis, it is crucial that we all join together to help the New York Blood Center replenish their supply,” he said.
Donors with O-negative blood type, or “universal donors,” are especially encouraged to donate, as their blood is essential in emergency situations. A single donation can save up to three lives.
To schedule an appointment or for more information, visit mattera.nysenate.gov and click on the link on the home page or call 800-933-2566.
Harbor Country Day School students deliver food to Smithtown Emergency Food Pantry
Once again, the students of St. James’ Harbor Country Day School’s Student Council conducted their annual spring food drive to benefit the Smithtown Emergency Food Pantry. On March 24, more than 500 pieces of nonperishable food items, as well as a check for $98 raised via a St. Patrick’s ‘Dress-Down’ Day, were delivered to the Food Pantry.
As shared by Pat Westlake, the Director of the Smithtown Emergency Food Pantry, the COVID-19 pandemic has created a significant need for donated food and personal care items. Historically, those in need would simply visit the pantry to request items needed in their household. However, due to social-distancing requirements, families now ‘drive-through’ to receive pre-sorted packages of commonly-requested items.
While it’s unfortunate that such a great need exists in the area, it’s fortunate that the surrounding communities have kept the pantry fairly well-stocked. In fact, although this was the second collection of this kind at Harbor this year, the Student Council matched the number of items donated during their first collection back in November.
“We are grateful for the support Harbor Country Day School has given us for the past 19-plus years. We always look forward to seeing the children’s smiling faces as they take time out of their busy school day to visit us,” said Westlake.
“An integral member of our community for more than 60 years, Harbor is a perfect representation of the many wonderful ways we all rally together and lift each other up in times of need.”
Shelter Pet of the Week: Blaze
MEET BLAZE!
This week’s shelter pet is Blaze, an eight year-old Male Pit who was rescued by Smithtown Animal Control Officers when he was found abandoned and left in a cage at Blydenburgh Park. As a result of this sad experience, he takes his time to trust a new person, but once he opens up, he shows just how playful, intelligent, and loving he can be.
Blaze knows his basic commands like sit, wait, give paw, and he walks nicely on a leash. He needs an adult only home, without other pets, and an owner familiar with raising big breed dogs. Blaze deserves a furrever home that will spend time giving him the love (and treats) that he deserves, understanding that he had a tough life before being brought to the Smithtown Animal Shelter. He is neutered, microchipped and is up to date on his vaccines.
If you are interested in meeting Blaze, please call ahead to schedule an hour to properly interact with him in a domestic setting, which includes a Meet and Greet Room, the dog runs and a Dog Walk trail.
The Smithtown Animal & Adoption Shelter is located at 410 Middle Country Road, Smithtown. Shelter operating hours are currently Monday to Saturday 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. (Sundays and Wednesday evenings by appointment only). Call 631-360-7575 or visit www.smithtownanimalshelter.com.
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