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From left, Fred S. Sganga and Harry J. Janson present a check from the net proceeds of the 18th annual Golf Classic to Jonathan Spier, deputy executive director at the Long Island State Veterans Home. Photo from LISVH

The Long Island State Veterans Home (LISVH) at Stony Brook University held its 18th annual Golf Classic at the Willow Creek Golf & Country Club in Mount Sinai on Sept. 19. Over 184 golfers enjoyed a picture perfect day and raised over $174,000 to benefit the veterans residing at the veterans home.

Fred S. Sganga, executive director of the LISVH, acknowledged the extraordinary leadership of Harry J. Janson, the chairman of the 18th Annual Golf Classic.  “Harry has served as our golf chairman for the past 11 years and has helped raise over $1.4 million for the veterans living at the home. Each year, Harry finds a way to take our golf outing to a new level, he said.”  

Janson, a U.S. Army Vietnam veteran and Purple Heart recipient, is president of Janson Supermarkets, LLC and owner of ShopRite of Hauppauge and Patchogue. A resident of Setauket, Janson is involved in many charitable organizations and serves as a dedicated advocate for veterans and their families. 

“Harry Janson is ‘A veteran’s veterans’ and truly believes in the mission and vision of the Long Island State Veterans Home,” said Sganga.

“At the Long Island State Veterans Home, we take great pride in caring for America’s heroes from the greatest generation to the latest generation, and the $174,000 raised from our Golf Classic will go a long way to help our Home,” said Bob Smith, chairman of the LISVH Veterans Advisory Board. 

Added Sganga, “The proceeds raised from this event will be used to support the quality of life programs our veterans deserve.”

Next year’s Golf Classic will take place on Sept. 17 at the Willow Creek Golf & Country Club. For more information, call 631-444-8615.

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Pictured from left, Marketing Coordinator Lianna Kosch and Administrative Assistant/Transaction Coordinator Rose Morrow of Daniel Gale Sotheby’s International Realty with some of the artwork on display. Photo by Heidi Sutton

TIME TO CAST YOUR VOTE!

Daniel Gale Sotheby’s International Realty, located at 1067 Route 25A, Stony Brook invites the community to view its current art exhibit, titled Future Auction House Collection, through Nov. 30. 

View the wall-mounted and 3-D artwork of  15 Ward Melville High School students and cast your vote for your favorite (one vote per person). The winning artist will be awarded a $500 cash prize. Office hours are 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. daily.  For more information, please call 631-689-6980.

 

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NASA Photo

The Suffolk County Vanderbilt Museum, 180 Little Neck Road, Centerport will offer a special half-hour presentation on the planet Mercury as it makes its transit across the sun at 11 a.m. on Monday, Nov. 11, Veterans Day, in the Charles and Helen Reichert Planetarium.

General admission (with no additional fee) will admit visitors to this program. As a salute and a thank-you, the Vanderbilt will give free admission to the museum and planetarium that day to all veterans and active-duty military personnel, and their families. This offer is good for Saturday through Monday, Nov. 9 to 11.

Amateur astronomer and space enthusiast Rob Unger, one of the planetarium’s command-console operators, will give a talk followed by safe viewing of the Mercury event – weather permitting – with solar telescopes in the Vanderbilt Observatory. 

Dave Bush, director of the Reichert Planetarium, said, “Planetarium staff will set up special solar-filtered telescopes so that all visitors can safely live view the transit of Mercury across the sun, starting at 11:30 a.m. right after the show, and continuing until 1 p.m. Be sure not to miss this event. Mercury will not cross the face of the sun again until the year 2032! Please arrive early to secure your seat for the presentation.”  

For more information, please call 631-854-5579 or visit www.vanderbiltmuseum.org.

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Stock photo

By Fr. Francis Pizzarelli

Father Frank Pizzarelli

“Acting responsibly in an irresponsible world!” was a topic I created for a class conversation in my Introduction to Social Work class at Suffolk County Community College. 

The conversation that ensued was beyond words. These college students represent the next generation of leaders and thinkers. They were insightful and challenging. It was clear to me that they were not being influenced by our present class of leaders or lack thereof.

What does it mean to live in an irresponsible world? They immediately pointed to our federal government and the lack of leadership. They expressed amazement at how so many bright, well-educated and experienced lawmakers could not have a civil conversation on any real issue. It should not matter if the participants are from the same political party or different political parties. They have been elected by the people to build bridges not walls.

This dynamic group of college coeds, most of whom are juniors and seniors, continued to talk about our irresponsible world. They touched on everything from undocumented immigration to health care, gangs, gun safety, racism, human trafficking and our poor care for the poorest of the poor among us.

As the conversation moved from an irresponsible world to acting responsibly, these students spoke about what really matters to them. No matter who is speaking, from the president to a homeless person, no one has the right to speak disrespectfully of another, to demean, name call and put people down.

Words matter. Calling people scum and lowlifes, making fun, calling people negative names; the list is endless and is clearly inappropriate. When people in public office engage in that kind of language, they dishonor and disgrace the office they hold, from the presidency to Congress. 

What my students found most disturbing is that so many respectable people elected to serve the needs of all Americans have been silent about this reprehensible language or have made lame excuses for why it is not a big deal. Some of our religious leaders have also have been painfully silent on this issue. 

My students pointed out that if their teacher or clergy person acted in this way, he or she would be sanctioned immediately and removed from their position. They expressed sadness that this behavior has clearly lessened respect for the most important office in the land — the office of the presidency.

So how do you act responsibly in an irresponsible world? Despite their poor role models in this regard, my students spoke passionately about being responsible, caring for the poor, being men and women of honesty, respect and integrity.

They acknowledged the need for more civic engagement on their part so that they can change the social and political order. They expressed a genuine commitment to restoring the social and political order to a civil and respectful landscape where all Americans are treated equally with dignity and respect.

These students expressed there is no place on the American landscape for racism, discrimination, violence, hate groups, divisiveness — no matter what one’s nationality, religion, economic status and sexual orientation.

We are a nation that was founded on religious liberty and freedom for all; a nation committed to social justice and human rights; a nation that must work to build bridges and not walls.

When the class finished on that Wednesday afternoon, I left renewed and hopeful that things will get better for all of us thanks to the next generation!

Fr. Pizzarelli, SMM, LCSW-R, ACSW, DCSW, is the director of Hope House Ministries in Port Jefferson.

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Suffolk County Executive Steve Bellone, right, and Jim Malatras, president of SUNY Empire State College. Photo from Suffolk County

Right before the official opening of its new campus in Selden, State University of New York Empire State College has partnered with Suffolk County to offer the beauty of nature to students and surrounding residents.

On Oct. 29, Suffolk County Executive Steve Bellone (D) and Jim Malatras, president of SUNY Empire State College, signed an educational partnership. The agreement will connect the county’s existing trail network to the college’s new 6.6-acre Long Island campus at 407 College Road, Selden, which is scheduled to open Nov. 13.

The trail network connection will be used for academic programming which will be designed by SUNY Empire Assistant Professor Matt Schmidt. It will be open for public use, and events for students and community members will focus on exploration of the surrounding habitat.

“This partnership will benefit our students by leveraging the county’s sprawling trail network and turning it into a model program through SUNY Empire State College,” Bellone said.

Trails will be marked and rated for accessibility by The Nature Conservancy, and the paths will be maintained in part by volunteers from the Long Island Greenbelt Trail Conference.

Malatras thanked Bellone as well as the Nature Conservancy and the Long Island Greenbelt Trail Conference for their assistance in the project.

“SUNY Empire State College is happy to do its part to protect and maintain these natural areas for the benefit of its students, faculty and staff, as well as the broader Suffolk County community,” Malatras said.

According to a press release from Bellone’s office, a comprehensive connected countywide network of hiking and biking trails is currently in the works. The process will include analyzing hundreds of miles of bike lanes and signed bike routes and potential shared-use paths similar to the North Shore Rail Trail, which will run from Wading River to Mount Sinai. The master plan, expected by early 2020, will map the existing hiking and biking network, identify the gaps in that network and then develop a plan to prioritize and build out those gaps.

College and elected officials broke ground two years ago in Selden on the new campus, according to SUNY Empire’s website. There are currently two campuses in Suffolk County — Hauppauge and Riverhead. The new Selden campus is described as a state-of-the-art, environmentally friendly learning facility. The facility will offer both in-room and online classes.

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From left, Melissa Van Horn (with Cecil) and Stacie Callace (with Truman) with the Animal Rights Advocacy Group accept their prize for 1st place in the Professional Category from Gloria Rocchio, president, Ward Melville Heritage Organization. Photo from WMHO

The Ward Melville Heritage Organization announced the winners of its 29th annual Scarecrow Competition at its Halloween Festival at the Stony Brook Village Center on Oct. 31. 

‘The Groomery’

And the winners are:

Professional Category: 1st Place – “Groomery” (Animal Rights Advocacy Group – Melissa Van Horn) and 2nd Place – “Alice in Wonderland” (Girl Scout Troop 405 – Karen Daily)

Category B:  Adult & Family: 1st Place –  “We Are Groot” (Paul Bouton), 2nd Place – “Chef Alfredo Linguini” (Pentimento – Lisa Cusamano) and 3rd Place – “Forky Crow” (Kathleen Christiano & Patricia Thompson) 

Category C:  Children

1st Place – “Mermaid” (Girl Scout Troop 873 – Danielle Rampone), 2nd Place – “Your Highness in Pink” (Girl Scout Troop 620 – Andrea Schaeffer) and 3rd Place – “Devil” (Girl Scout Troop 1244 – Joan Fusco) 

Congratulations!

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Brittany Schiavone delivers a Basket of Hope to the Lucas family of Long Island, from left, father Ryan, Maeve (basket recipient) and mother Melissa.
Brittany Schiavone
A Basket of Hope with all its contents
Brittany Schiavone
Brittany hugging her mom, Susan Schiavone, at one of their “packing parties,” where the board puts together all of the baskets of hope and prepare to send them across the country.
Ashley Asti and Brittany Schiavone with a Basket of Hope.

By Melissa Arnold

Brittany Schiavone has a long list of things she loves to do, including acting, singing, dancing and riding horses. But these days, her biggest passion is giving back to others.

Schiavone, 30, is among more than 400,000 people in the United States living with Down syndrome. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Down syndrome is a genetic disorder caused by an extra copy of chromosome 21. Down syndrome can lead to learning, muscular, cardiac and digestive problems, to name a few.

Today, one in every 600 babies in America is born with Down syndrome. Since 2016, Brittany has sent care packages to families around the country that welcome babies with Down syndrome to let them know they’re not alone. Her organization, Brittany’s Baskets of Hope (BBOH), has delivered more than 800 baskets to families in 49 states and Puerto Rico.

Brittany’s mother, Sue Schiavone, remembers struggling firsthand with the reality of Brittany’s diagnosis and uncertain future.

“Everything about my pregnancy and delivery with Brittany was typical,” said Sue, who lives in Huntington and also has an older son. “At the time, screening for Down’s wasn’t as advanced as it is today, so I didn’t have a diagnosis for Brittany prior to her birth. I knew something was wrong right away — she was adorable, but very floppy.”

Sue added that while she worked as a special education teacher, she had limited experience with Down syndrome at the time. “We learned pretty quickly that Brittany had Down’s, and it put us on a totally different road. I want to say we weren’t devastated, but we were. We took some time to come to terms with it, but ultimately we rallied and worked to help Brittany be the best person she could be.”

The Schiavone family became a part of the broad-reaching but tight-knit Down syndrome community, where Brittany was connected to early intervention therapies and other resources. As time went on, she blossomed into an outgoing, bright and happy girl who loved performing. Later on, as part of her own self-directed care program, Brittany went to work part-time at a clothing boutique. She liked the job, she said, but would soon be inspired to try something new.

“I was on a break at my job and I watched a video about people helping babies with Down’s. I wanted to do that,” Brittany said.

At home, Sue said Brittany became insistent about doing something to help families like theirs. “She just wouldn’t let the idea go.”

In 2014, Brittany founded BBOH as a 501(c)3 nonprofit organization. With help from talented family and friends, legal paperwork was filed and social media websites took shape — all with Brittany calling the shots.

Each care package is either personally delivered or mailed by Brittany and contains a hand-crocheted baby blanket, a Down Right Perfect onesie, some pampering products for new parents, Brittany’s story in her own words and educational material about Down syndrome.

 BBOH has exploded in popularity recently, primarily through word of mouth. Thanks to a nomination from family friend and BBOH team member Ashley Asti, Brittany was selected as one of 10 finalists in the L’Oreal Paris Women of Worth national competition. The internationally known makeup company, L’Oreal Paris, began the Women of Worth event to honor those who go above and beyond, selflessly volunteering their time to empower others. 

Asti got to know the Schiavone family when Brittany hired her to work on healthy eating and good nutrition. “Brittany was 25 at the time, and I really admired how driven she was,” Asti said. “How many people at 25 know their purpose and have the courage to live it so fully?” 

She eventually stopped working for Brittany, but the two remained close friends. Earlier this year, Asti saw an ad for Women of Worth while scrolling through her Facebook news feed. “I thought, ‘Wow, this is a big deal,’ and I really felt called to nominate Brittany. When I stopped to consider what a Woman of Worth should be, she immediately came to mind,” she said.

Brittany received a $10,000 prize for being chosen as a finalist and is now enjoying some time in the spotlight.

“I was so excited when I found out,” she said. “There were lots of interviews, and L’Oreal sent a camera crew. I wasn’t nervous about it; I just said, ‘Let’s do it!’ We got our makeup done, it was a lot of fun.”

Now, Brittany is looking for the community’s support to help her win the grand prize of $25,000 by voting for BBOH online now through Nov. 14. The winner will be announced on Dec. 4 at a star-studded gala in New York City.

All of the prize money will be used to benefit BBOH by covering the cost of care package materials and shipping, as well as the creation of a dedicated office space for BBOH in the Schiavone’s home. They are also working toward helping families outside of the U.S. receive baskets, which is in great demand but still too costly for the organization, Sue said.

“Brittany’s Baskets of Hope gives people that have babies with Down syndrome hope and joy, and it makes me really happy to help them,” Brittany said. “I want everyone to know that people with Down syndrome can do anything — really, really anything.”

To vote for Brittany, visit www.lorealparisusa.com/women-of-worth. To learn more about Brittany’s Baskets of Hope, donate to the cause or to request a care package, visit www.brittanysbasketsofhope.org.

Photos by Nilaya Sabnis

 

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Jack

Update: Jack in the Box has been adopted!

MEET JACK IN THE BOX!

Jack

This week’s shelter pet is Jack, a 4½-month-old ginger tabby kitten who arrived at Kent Animal Shelter after he was left on someone’s porch in a box. 

Now he is affectionately known as Jack in the Box by Kent’s volunteers who tell us that this handsome boy is shy but very friendly and loving once he warms up to you. Why not drop by and meet him? He comes neutered, microchipped and up to date on his vaccines. 

Kent Animal Shelter is located at 2259 River Road in Calverton. The adoption center is open seven days a week from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. 

For more information on Jack and other adoptable pets at Kent, call 631-727-5731 or visit www.kentanimalshelter.com

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Photo by Adrienne Lauren Catanese

In collaboration with the Suffolk County Council VFW, the Art League of Long Island, 107 Deer Park Road, Dix Hills will host a community fundraiser event known internationally as Empty Bowls on Sunday, Nov. 10 from 3:30 to 5:30 p.m. 

Empty Bowls began almost 30 years ago as a charitable event by artists and students to raise funds to end hunger and food insecurity. What began in one local community in Michigan became a grassroots movement happening in communities throughout the world. 

The concept is simple; guests who pay a $20 donation will select a handcrafted ceramic bowl to take home as a reminder of those who have been less fortunate. Soup and salad will be provided with the $20 donation (disposable ware provided). Proceeds from this collaborative fundraiser will be donated to the Suffolk County Council VFW.

SCCVFW is a 501(c) Veteran Service Organization that helps veterans and their families in need in Suffolk County. SCCVFW supports programs and raises funds to help feed veterans, provide cars, build homes and provide grants for veterans and their families in need on a local, national and international level. All donations to SCCVFW are tax except.

Guest who wish to donate in advance can call 631- 462-5400, ext. 222, or visit www.artleagueli.org.

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The Old Field Club, 86 West Meadow Road, E. Setauket will host the Three Village Community Trust’s 15th annual celebration, An Evening with Alan Inkles, on Wednesday, Nov. 13 at 7:30 p.m. The trust’s annual gala is a celebration of the trust’s achievements over the past years, recent acquisitions and continuing restoration projects as well as its major fundraiser of the year.

Alan Inkles

Inkles, the director of Stony Brook University’s Staller Center for the Arts, will present an engaging talk on the “Survival of the Arts,” sharing stories from his more than three decades of experience at the inner workings of an arts center, the constant development in efforts to engage audiences for the cultural arts and how the Staller Center manages to grow its success.

A highlight of the evening will be the drawing for a pair of tickets to “Hamilton.” The winner can select day and time (with two or three alternative dates), and the prize includes free door-to-door limo service. Tickets are $100 each, and only 100 tickets will be sold.  To purchase a chance on this drawing, visit www.threevillagecommunitytrust.org/hamilton.

The festive evening will also feature a raffle for works by local artists in addition to featured artist Eleanor Meier’s watercolor, Homage to Tillie. Raffle tickets are $25 each and only 200 will be sold. 

Admission to the gala is $60 per person and includes wine, a sumptuous buffet provided by the Old Field Club, desserts, prizes and live music by Carl Safina and the Three Village Vanguard Trio.  

To RSVP, please call 631-689-0225 or email [email protected].

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