contest

Photo courtesy of WMHO
Above, one of the entries from last year’s competition. Photo by Heidi Sutton/TBR News Media

On December 3, participants of the Ward Melville Heritage Organization’s (WMHO) Holiday Tree Competition will bring holiday cheer to Stony Brook Village and decorate 40 premium 5 to 6 foot balsam trees that will line the open-air center’s walkways at the 44th Annual Holiday Festival. One tree will be selected by votes from the public between Dec. 3 and Dec. 19 to win a $150 gift certificate to Stony Brook Village and its establishments. 

Registration for this event is required as there are only 40 trees available. You can pick up a registration form at any of the shops in Stony Brook Village, or you can download it digitally from the events section of the Stony Brook Village Center website. 

To enter this competition, please return the completed registration form, with entry fee to the Ward Melville Heritage Organization, P.O. Box 572, Stony Brook, NY 11790. Registration form and an entry fee of $47 is due by Nov. 22. The decorated trees will remain in the village for viewing until Jan. 3.

Questions? Call 631-751-2244.

Artist Ann Pols. Photo courtesy of Jefferson's Ferry
Artist Ann Pols with one of her paintings.
Photo courtesy of Jefferson’s Ferry

Jefferson’s Ferry’s resident and avid painter Ann Pols was recently recognized among the winners of LeadingAge New York’s annual art competition. Her “Seaside Fourth” is one of 70 paintings that was selected out of 218 entries for a traveling exhibit that will be displayed at LeadingAge NY’s annual conference and in the advocacy group’s headquarters outside of Albany. 

LeadingAge represents not-for-profit, mission-driven and public continuing care providers, including nursing homes, senior housing, adult care facilities, continuing care retirement communities, assisted living and community service providers. 

A 19-year resident of Jefferson’s Ferry, a Life Plan Community in South Setauket, Ann recalls dabbling in art as a child but didn’t think she had any talent for it. 

At the age of 86, despite being blind in one eye and relying on her non-dominant hand due to a stroke, Ann joined an art class at Jefferson’s Ferry Bove Health Center, and felt that something was awoken inside of her. She rediscovered painting and regularly joins her fellow residents in painting classes and studio time. 

When asked what her artistic process is, Ann says that she chooses her subjects by looking at pictures and first sketches, then paints the subject. Her award-winning painting is one of approximately 30 drawings she has done over the past five years.

By Heidi Sutton

The 14th annual Village Cup Regatta, a friendly competition between Mather Hospital and the Village of Port Jefferson, set sail on Sept. 9 on the Long Island Sound for two good causes.

The Regatta consists of Yacht Club-skippered sailboat where employees from the Hospital and Village help crew the boats, which race in one of three classes based on boat size.

Presented by the Port Jefferson Yacht Club, the Regatta raises funds for Mather’s Palliative Medicine Program and the Lustgarten Foundation, which funds pancreatic cancer research. This year’s Regatta, which was won by the Mather team, raised $94,000 which was divided equally between the two groups. Mather Hospital’s Executive Director Kevin McGeachy accepted the Village Cup and the check for his team at a celebratory Skipper’s Reception at the Port Jefferson Village Center following the races. Mayor Lauren Sheprow represented the Port Jeff Village team.

Actor, director and local resident Ralph Macchio once again served as Village Cup Regatta Celebrity Ambassador for the event. Macchio has helped to publicize the important work of the two programs funded by the Regatta for the last ten years. His wife, Phyllis, is a nurse practitioner in Mather Hospital’s Palliative Medicine Program.

 

 

Photo from WMHO

It’s time to bring your hay-game! The Ward Melville Heritage Organization (WMHO) is currently accepting submissions for its annual Scarecrow Competition. This will be the 33rd year the spooky and silly six-foot creations will adorn the pathways of picturesque Stony Brook Village Center for visitors to enjoy and vote for their favorite. Register as an individual, group or professional and create a scarecrow masterpiece. 

You can pick up a registration form at any of the shops in Stony Brook Village, or you can download it digitally from the events section of the Stony Brook Village Center website. To enter this competition, please return the completed registration form to The Ward Melville Heritage Organization, P.O. Box 572, Stony Brook, NY 11790, with the entry fee of $30 by Sept. 20.

Vote for your favorite scarecrows by picking up a ballot at any of the shops and restaurants at the Stony Brook Village Center from Sept. 30 to Oct. 25. Winners will be notified on Oct. 27 by 5 p.m. and will be announced during the WMHO’s Halloween Festival on Oct. 31. 

For more information, please call the WMHO at 631-751-2244.

Above, last year's winner. Photo by Charlotte Cote/East Wind Long Island

This fall during the month of October, put your creativity to the test and get in the spooky spirit at The Shoppes at East Wind 7th Annual Scarecrow Contest! Registration is open all — individuals, groups, families, or professionals. Local business sponsorship is also available. Your creation can win first, second or third place. Registration is free and due by Sept. 20.  

The public can vote for their favorite scarecrow from Oct. 1 to 26. Ballots can be found at The Shoppes at East Wind, 5720 Route 25A, Wading River. Winners will be notified on Oct. 26. See your winning scarecrow at their Safe Trick or Treat Halloween event on Oct. 31.

For more information on the Scarecrow Contest, call 631-846-2372 or email [email protected].

The Memorial Parade of Boats can be viewed from Harborfront Park in Port Jefferson. File photo by Bob Savage
View Memorial Parade of Boats at Harborfront Park prior to race

It’s time once again to sail for a cure as the 14th annual Village Cup Regatta, a friendly competition between Mather Hospital and the Village of Port Jefferson, returns on Saturday, Sept. 9. 

Presented by the Port Jefferson Yacht Club, the Regatta raises funds for Mather’s Palliative Medicine Program and the Lustgarten Foundation, which funds pancreatic cancer research. Last year’s Regatta raised more than $109,000 — a record sum — which was divided between Mather Hospital and the Lustgarten Foundation. The event has raised almost $860,000 over the past 13 years.

The Regatta consists of Yacht Club-skippered sailboats divided into two teams representing Mather Hospital and the Village of Port Jefferson. Employees from the Hospital and Village help crew the boats, which race in one of three classes based on boat size. 

The festivities begin in Harborfront Park, 101 East Broadway in Port Jefferson Village, at 10 a.m, where you can purchase shirts, commemorative hats, nautical bags and mugs. The Memorial Parade of Boats begins at 11 a.m. at the Port Jefferson Village dock. All sailboats participating in the Regatta will pass by the park dressed in banners and nautical flags on their way out to the Long Island Sound for the race which begins at 1 p.m.

Actor, director and local resident Ralph Macchio will once again serve as Village Cup Regatta Celebrity Ambassador for the event. Macchio has helped to publicize the important work of the two programs funded by the Regatta for the last ten years. Macchio’s wife, Phyllis, is a nurse practitioner in Mather Hospital’s Palliative Medicine Program.

Following the Regatta, a celebratory Skipper’s Reception and presentation of the Village Cup will take place  at 3:30 p.m. in a restored 1917 shipyard building that today serves as the Port Jefferson Village Center, just steps away from the Harborfront Park.

To sign up as a crew member for the Mather Hospital team, contact Cindy Court at 631-476-2723 or [email protected]

To sign up as a crew member for the Port Jefferson Village team, contact Sylvia at 631-473-4724, ext. 219 or email [email protected].

For more information and to purchase tickets to the reception ($50 per person includes food, wine, beer and raffles), please visit www.portjeffersonyachtclub.com or www.facebook.com/villagecupregatta.

For further questions, please call 631-512-1068.

The 28th annual Stony Brook Film Festival, presented by Island Federal Credit Union, wrapped up with a Closing Night Awards Ceremony on July 29.  The evening recognized the outstanding new independent films screened at the festival, which was held at Staller Center for the Arts at Stony Brook University from July 20 to 29.

With hundreds of artists creating 36 films from 26 countries, the Stony Brook Film Festival became a hub for some of the best filmmakers working today, a meeting ground for favorite actors and rising stars, and a showcase of new masterpieces. Of those 36 films, 11 received awards. 

Yes Repeat No, a challenging and engaging meta masterpiece, won the Jury Award for Best Feature. Director Michael Moshe Dahan was in attendance for both the screening and to receive his award. “Thank you to all of the people who believe in human rights and democracy all over the world … and to all the people who want to make difficult material all over the world because finding the questions to ask is sometimes harder than getting the answers,” Dahan said in his acceptance speech. 

Two feature films won the audience’s hearts, resulting in two winners for this year’s Audience Choice Award for Best Feature: The Grandson, a charged thriller that boasts “revenge is a dish best served old,” and First Snow of Summer, a masterfully shot and magical romance in a whimsical setting, came out on top. 

The Grandson‘s director Kristóf Deák could not be at the Festival to accept his award but remarked, “I couldn’t be happier that The Grandson won the audience award at this year’s Stony Brook Film Festival. I feel a special connection to U.S. audiences since my short film Sing won the Academy Award in 2017. That film’s festival journey also began with audience awards, and for a filmmaker like me who makes his films for audiences, first and foremost, it remains the most important praise.” 

“Because it may lead to discussions about how we treat the elderly in our society, I hope [The Grandson]is a testament to how we should never ‘write them off’ as useless. I want to thank my wonderful cast, crew, co-writer, and wife for making this film with me,” said Deák

First Snow of Summer, in its North American premiere, was another beautiful and poignant film from German Sales Team, Picture Tree International. Festival Founder and Director Alan Inkles has been working with Founder/Co-Managing Director of Picture Tree, Andreas Rothbauer, for several years and this is the second consecutive year one of their films has won the Audience Choice Award, with last year’s biting dark comedy, Contra, taking home the same prize. 

“You can feel the warmth and genuineness of this new German film, and the audience in our full house screening of First Snow of Summer obviously agreed … the film has a ‘fantasy-like Amelie’ feel to it, and is ripe for a U.S. theatrical run,” said Inkles after the awards ceremony. “One of our goals with the Festival is to get these independent films in front of distributors to help reach larger audiences throughout America,” he added, and said he plans to continue working with Andreas to make that happen.

The Spirit of Independent Filmmaking is awarded to filmmakers that utilize a uniquely indie lens to bring their incredible stories to life. A first in the Festival’s history, this category was awarded to two different features: Friends From Home, a quietly hilarious cross-country odyssey by New York filmmakers, and Where the Road Leads, a Serbian film about a sleepy village brought to life with subtle humor and masterfully directed. 

“If you told us we would be watching our film on a 40-foot-screen, we wouldn’t have believed you, and this was awesome,” said Mike Koslov of Friends From Home. “We just tried to make a film as honest and close to the heart as we could,” said Joe Blank, co-writer and director of the film. Both flew in from LA for their screening and the awards ceremony. 

Director Nina Ognjanovic traveled from Serbia to be here in person for her screening of Where the Road Leads and for the awards ceremony. Ognjanovic praised the film festival at the ceremony for showing her film to over 400 attendees and for recognizing her work.

The Jury Award for Best Short went to Chipper, while the Audience Award for Best Short went to Stuck. 

Director and lead actor of Chipper, Shaun MacLean, and Jayson Warner Smith, respectively, were both in attendance at the awards ceremony, with Shaun attending earlier during the Festival for his screening and leading a lively Q&A. Shoval Chiprut and Daniel Brushin from Stuck flew in from Israel and were present for both their screening and the awards ceremony. 

Opening Night Feature Award went to Sea of Time; Closing Night Feature Award went to Divertimento; Open Night Short Award went to The Red Suitcase and The Basics of Love received an for  Closing Night Short.

In addition to Island Federal’s generous support as presenting sponsor, additional sponsors for the Stony Brook Film Festival included Campolo, Middleton & McCormick, LLP; Suffolk County; Altice Media; and WLIW/PBS.

2023 FESTIVAL WINNERS

YES REPEAT NO
2023 JURY AWARD FOR BEST FEATURE

THE GRANDSON
2023 AUDIENCE AWARD FOR BEST FEATURE

FIRST SNOW OF SUMMER
2023 AUDIENCE AWARD FOR BEST FEATURE

WHERE THE ROAD LEADS
2023 SPIRIT OF INDEPENDENT FILMMAKING

FRIENDS FROM HOME
2023 SPIRIT OF INDEPENDENT FILMMAKING

CHIPPER
2023 JURY AWARD FOR BEST SHORT

STUCK
2023 AUDIENCE AWARD FOR BEST SHORT

SEA OF TIME
2023 OPENING NIGHT FEATURE

DIVERTIMENTO
2023 CLOSING NIGHT FEATURE

THE RED SUITCASE
2023 OPENING NIGHT SHORT

THE BASICS OF LOVE
2023 CLOSING NIGHT SHORT

———————————————–

During the Festival, the Staller Center announced its exciting Fall 2023 Live Performing Arts season which kicks off on Sept. 5 with Corinne Bailey Rae, Pat Metheny on Sept. 23, Tara McNeill and Alexander Bernstein on Sept. 30, Disney Pixar Coco Live-to-Film concert on Oct. 9, Emerson String Quartet’s farewell concert on Oct. 14, Ballet Hispanico on Oct. 21, Jessica Vosk on Oct. 28, Evan + Zane on Nov. 3, iLuminated on Nov. 5, Tom Segura on Nov. 11, LeAnn Rimes on Nov. 18, Cat Kid Comic Club Musical on Nov. 19, Starry Nights chamber music concert on Nov. 29, Isaac Mizrahi on Dec. 1, Jane Monheit on Dec. 9, and concludes with GALA 2024 on March 9 with special guest Leslie Odom, Jr. For tickets and more information, visit www.stallercenter.com.

(L-R) LIMEHOF 2023 music scholarship winners Jacob Leshnower (Half Hollow High School East High School), Alexis Pabebianco (Mineola High School) Chris Hummel (Harborfields High School), Coleman Schubert (Babylon, Babylon Jr-Sr. High School) and Luca Alexandru (Syosset High School).

For the first time since opening the Long Island Music and Entertainment Hall of Fame (LIMEHOF) Museum in Stony Brook last fall, LIMEHOF recently awarded its annual music scholarships to five graduating students from across LongIsland in a special ceremony held in the main exhibit hall.

This year’s Distinction in Music scholarship winners include Chris Hummel (Centerport, Harborfields High School), Jacob Leshnower (Dix Hills, Half Hollow High School East High School), Alexis Pabebianco (Williston Park, Mineola High School), Luca Alexandru (Syosset, Syosset High School) and winning the Pat DeRosa Scholarship was Coleman Schubert (Babylon, Babylon Jr-Sr. High School). The Pat DeRosa Memorial Scholarship was created to honor the memory of LIMEOHF inductee Pat DeRosa and was awarded specifically to a High School Senior to continue their studies in Music on the saxophone or woodwind instrument.

“We are immensely proud of our scholarship winners who have been granted the opportunity to pursue their passion for music through higher education,” said Tom Needham, LIMEHOF’s Educational Programs Director. “Their talent, dedication, and commitment to their craft inspire us all. We believe that their journey will not only shape their own futures but also contribute to the rich musical legacy of our community and beyond.”

Both Patricia DeRosa Padden, the daughter of LIMEHOF inductee Pat DeRosa and her daughter, Nicole DeRosa Padden (Pat’s granddaughter), were in attendance to present the scholarship in his name to Coleman Schubert. Afterwards they were presented with Pat DeRosa’s LIMEHOF inductee award trophy by LIMEHOF Chairman Ernie Canadeo. Pat DeRosa had been inducted during the Covid lockdown restrictions and unfortunately, he passed away in March of 2023 before the official in person presentation ceremony could be held.

About Christopher Hummel (Centerport, Harborfields High School, Violinist)

Christopher Hummel

Christopher Hummel has a passion for music which has brought him from Germany to Oregon. Equally comfortable leading an orchestra (he is currently serving as concertmaster of the Long Island Youth Orchestra), playing in chamber groups (he is the violinist in the HBK Piano Trio), and as a soloist (he has performed at the Majestic Theatre, and was a featured soloist during the Long Island Youth Orchestra’s 61st season), he has had the opportunity to work with some of today’s leading teachers.

Christopher has won national accolades (3rd prize in the 2021 Charleston International Baroque Competition, and 2nd in the 2021 New York MTNA Senior Performance Competition). He currently studies with Ann Setzer and Jennifer Frautschi. When not with his violin in hand, you will find him swinging a tennis racquet or spending time with his wonderful family.

Christopher is incredibly grateful to receive this scholarship from the Long Island Music and Entertainment Hall of Fame. This generous scholarship will enable him to pursue his passion for music at Juilliard, taking the next step towards his dream career of being a soloist.  He would like to thank the scholarship committee, his teachers, and his parents for supporting him on his journey to becoming a professional musician.

About Jacob Leshnower (Dix Hills, Half Hollow High School East, Percussion and Piano)

Jacob Leshnower

Music has played a unique role in shaping Jacob’s academic and professional pursuits. Jacob began playing piano when he was two years old and chose percussion in fourth grade after being wowed by the timpanist at a Carnegie Hall concert. In high school, he played percussion in the All-District Wind Ensemble, Symphonic Band, Symphonic Orchestra, and Marching Band, and piano in Jazz Band and Pit Orchestra.

Jacob also has had the amazing opportunity in recent years to perform as a percussionist in All-County, All-Eastern, and All-National ensembles, as well as the featured pianist in the All-State Symphonic Band. These experiences have provided him with an opportunity to meet like-minded people and confirm my commitment to pursue music as I enter college and beyond.

During the COVID-19 pandemic, Jacob participated, by audition, in the Juilliard Summer Percussion Masterclass Series, the Boston University Tanglewood Institute, and the NYU Sandbox Percussion Seminar. In addition, he has conducted original research into complex and important aspects of the intersection of music and psychology that has been accepted for presentation at international science competitions. Jacob plans to continue this music-related research in college and beyond, and he would like music performance to be a major part of his career. Jacob looks forward to attending Yale University in the fall, participating in ensembles while taking lessons at the Yale School of Music. “I am honored to receive the Long Island Music Hall of Fame scholarship because it is a testament to my passion for music and a source of great encouragement as I embark upon a musical career.”

About Luca Alexandru (Syosset, Syosset High School, Guitarist, Singer-songwriter)

Luca Alexandru

Luca Alexandru is a guitarist, singer-songwriter, and producer. In addition to his selection as the jazz guitarist of the 2022 All National Jazz Ensemble, Luca was also selected as the jazz guitaristfor the 2022 All State Vocal Jazz Ensemble, a Bass for the 2022 All State Mixed Choir, a jazz guitar alternate for the 2021 All State Jazz Ensemble, and a finalist in the 2023 All Eastern Composition Symposium. In his free time Luca likes to write and perform music with his band, play soccer on his travel team, and teach guitar lessons.

“I am so incredibly grateful to receive this scholarship. I would like to thank all of my music teachers and mentors for their guidance and for inspiring me to be the best musician I can be every day.”

Luca is very excited for his future in Boston as he plans to attend Berklee College of Music and major in Music Production and Engineering.

About Alexis Panebianco (Williston Park, Mineola High School, Voice and Trumpet)

Alexis Panebianco
Alexis Panebianco

Alexis’s passion for music grew stronger after taking part in middle and high school musicals, choirs, and marching band. There was no greater honor in her music career than being Drum Major of the Mineola Mustang Marching Band. The band achieved 1st Place in New York State Championships for three years during her tenure. Participating in the marching band gave her the opportunity to learn important life skills, such as leadership, resilience, and accountability.

Alexis has also participated in the ACDA All National Chorus, the NAFME All Eastern Chorus and NYSSMA All County and All State Chorus’s as a soprano vocalist. Alexis’s positive experiences with music solidified her plans to major in Music Education at Hofstra University.

Her family has lived on LongIsland for three generations, and she looks forward to using her education and experience to help students on Long Island grow, mature, and expand their minds in the same way the resources of Long Island and music have helped her to grow into the student and musician that she has become.

“Thank you to the Long Island Music and Entertainment Hall of Fame for awarding me the 2023 Student Scholarship! I knew that music would help me find my voice and purpose from a very young age.”

About Coleman Schubart (Babylon, Babylon Jr-Sr. High School, Oboe and English Horn)

Coleman Schubart

From a large musical family, Coleman Schubart is the fifth of six siblings and has a twin sister. Coleman studied piano and cello between the ages of 6 and 10 and then picked up the saxophone in the fourth grade. By the eighth grade, his school band was drowning in saxophone players, and his band director asked him to switch to oboe. Since then, Coleman has studied oboe with Dr. Terry Keevil, the Chamber Music Director at Stony Brook University.

Coleman began participating in NYSSMA at the age of six and consistently received score of A+ each year. In the 10th and the 11thgrade, he received scores of 100 on his oboe All-State auditions. He was an All-State alternate in 11thgrade and was selected for the All-State Band in 12th grade. Coleman is a member of the Tri-M Honor Society and has played in the pit orchestra of three high school musicals, covering clarinet, saxophone and oboe parts. Throughout high school, he has been selected for many orchestra and band festivals, and in 11th grade, he was the winner of the Eastman School of Music Award.

Outside of school, Coleman is first chair oboist in the Metropolitan Youth Orchestra, through which he has performed at the Tilles Center, the Staller Center, Lincoln Center, and Carnegie Hall.

He has volunteered as a parish musician in three Long Island parishes. Under the baton of his conductor father, he has been afforded countless opportunities to play with graduate school and professional musicians in ensembles ranging from quartets to symphonic orchestras. Coleman has been engaged over the last year as a featured oboe soloist for several recitals. His most recent appearances were at the Seminary of the Immaculate Conception in Huntington and St. Patrick’s Church in Bay Shore.

Coleman will enter Michigan State University in the fall and will study with Dr. Nermis Mieses as a dual oboe performance and music education major. He looks forward to someday sharing his love of music with future students as his father did with him.

About the Pat DeRosa Memorial Scholarship

Pat DeRosa

Mr. Pat A. DeRosa performed for many years from Manhattan to Montauk and beyond. He taught music in Huntington and South Huntington and in 2018 the Guinness Book of World Records named him the “World’s Oldest Professional Saxophone Player”. (101 years old and still playing in 2022). Additionally, he was inducted into the Long Island Hall of Fame and the South Huntington Hall of Fame.

 Born in Brooklyn and raised in South Huntington, Pat picked up a saxophone in the Bowery with his mom at the age of 12. After High School, he worked at Grumman before he was drafted into WWII where he played with the Glenn Miller Army/Air Force Band.

After the war, he played at The Latin Quarter and the Copacabana as well as other NYC clubs while attending the Manhattan School of Music where he received a Bachelor’s and Master’s Degrees in English Horn and Oboe. He played with Tommy Tucker, Tex Benecke, Lionel Hampton amongst others while on the road stopping to make a movie in Hollywood where he was invited to have lunch with Dean Martin and Jerry Lewis. When he returned home, he was introduced to John Coltrane and they played duets together for three years.

Most recently he could be seen playing with his daughter, Patricia DeRosa Padden of Montauk, on piano and his granddaughter Nicole DeRosa Padden, also of Montauk, on vocals and flute as well as sitting in with numerous bands on the East End and Western Suffolk. Pat retired from teaching in 1978 but his students continued to contact him often.

This Memorial Scholarship has been set up for a High School Senior to continue their studies in Music on the saxophone or woodwind instrument. The criteria includes a 95 or above in Music and a 90 overall average. An essay should also be provided by the student to show why they would like to continue to pursue music.

For more information about LIMEHOF’s scholarships and educational programs visit https://www.limusichalloffame.org/scholarshipsgrants/


Founded in 2004, the Long Island Music and Entertainment Hall Of Fame (LIMEHOF) is a 501(c) (3) organization dedicated to the idea that Long Island’s musical and entertainment heritage is an important resource to be celebrated and preserved for future generations. The organization, which encompasses New York State’s Nassau, Suffolk, Queens, and Kings (Brooklyn) Counties, was created as a place of community that inspires and explores Long Islandmusic and entertainment in all its forms. In 2022, LIMEHOF opened its first Hall of Fame building location in Stony Brook Village. To date, the organization has inducted more than 120 musicians and music industry executives, and also offers education programs and scholarships, and awards to Long Islandstudents and educators.

By Carole Paquette

Forty-six junior anglers caught a total of 182 fish at the Friends of Caleb Smith Preserve’s 19th annual catch-and-release Junior Fishing Tournament held on Saturday, June 10, at Caleb Smith State Park Preserve in Smithtown.

It was a clear day and the Park’s Willow Pond was active with geese, cormorants, turtles and a loud rapping woodpecker as the 46 jubilant young anglers pulled in all types of fish, examined, then released, them. A large colorful Rainbow Trout brought shouts of surprise and a winning trophy for its angler Hunter O’Brien, who had won a prize last year for catching the most fish.

Kevy Doring, 6, of Northport who was one of the morning anglers, was with his grandfather John Mikkelson. Within five minutes of the start of the tournament Kevy had caught two Panfish, one 7-1/4 inches, the other 8 inches. He eventually caught a third.

Co-chairperson Carol Tokosh said “The Junior Angler Tournament is a wonderful event to teach children how to fish and enjoy nature. It’s such a pleasure to see the smiles and reactions of a child when they catch a fish.”

Winners of the three trophies in the morning session, for those ages five to eight, were Christian McFarland, 6, of St. James, who caught 13 fish to win for Most Fish Caught; Dominick Ferrentino, 7, of St. James who won for Largest Pan Fish Caught, for his 8-3/4 inch Pan Fish; and Easton Hodge, 5, of Smithtown, won for the Largest Other Fish Caught, a 10-1/2” Trout.

Winners in the afternoon session, for those ages nine through twelve, were Arabella Siegel, 11, of Smithtown, who caught 17 fish, and won for Most Fish Caught; Ryan Liebold, 12, of Smithtown, won the award for the Largest Pan Fish Caught for his 9-3/4-inch Pan Fish; and Hunter O’Brien, 9, of Port Washington, won for the Largest Other Fish Caught, a 12-1/2 inch Rainbow Trout.

Several lotteries were held during the afternoon. Evelyn Folandro, 6, of Commack won a fishing rod and tackle box donated by the D’Agostino Family in memory of Mike D’Agostino who was one of the co-founders of the Friends of Caleb Smith Preserve, and a main contributor to the Junior Angler Fishing Tournament.

Carter LeHanka, 12, of Commack won the Fourth Annual Tom Troccodli Memorial Lottery and received a fishing rod and tackle   donated by the Troccoli family. The drawing was held in honor of the late Tom Troccoli of Smithtown who enjoyed fishing and accompanied his grandson at junior angler tournaments. Raffle donors included Camp-Site Sports Shop in Huntington Station, which donated two fishing rods, one for each session, and books about catching bluefish. Carmine Petrone, manager of the fishing department at Camp-Site Sports Shop is a familiar person at the tournament having been one of the judges during these years. Visors that looked like a turtle were also raffled off. Other donors included sponsor The Fisherman magazine which donated the worms, hooks and bobbers.

Robert McCormick from the Diversified Education Curriculum at Stony Brook University made up packets to be put in the goody bags that were given to each angler. The packets contained information about catching fish in New York and Long Island, as well as cards identifying fish that are caught in New York State. Caleb Smith State Park Preserve included information about the park and fishing. Also in the goody bags the Friends group included fun fish-related treats such as puzzles, and goldfish crackers

Tom Tokosh, co-chairperson of the tournament, said “It was a great day. Everyone caught a fish. See you next year.”

 

Emma Clark Library in Setauket recently held its 8th annual Kid’s Bookmark Contest. The contest called for all kids in the Three Village Central School District, Kindergarten through 6th grade, to create an original bookmark. Out of a whopping 75 entries, three designs stood out above the rest. 

And the winners are: Grades K – 2 category: Nayonika Shrivastava, a 2nd grader at Setauket Elementary School; Grades 3 & 4 category: Catherine Yin, a 3rd grader at Minnesauke Elementary School; and in the Grades 5 & 6 category: Cindy Zhao, a  5th grader at Minnesauke Elementary School.

The three students receive the honor of having their bookmarks professionally printed and distributed at the Library throughout the year. In addition, all of the entries are currently on display in the Children’s Department for the community to enjoy.