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You are are cordially invited to Dorothy's wedding! Photo courtesy of Keith Dougherty

By Tara Mae

Theatre Three gives the public an opportunity to say “Thank you for being a friend,” with The Golden Girls Gone Wild: A Murder Mystery at Dorothy’s Wedding & Brunch on Sunday, April 13, at 11 a.m.

A benefit for Theatre Three, this interactive experience on its Second Stage is based on characters from The Golden Girls (1985-1992), a television comedy series about four previously married women: Dorothy, Rose, Blanche, and Dorothy’s mother, Sophia, who share a Miami home, hardships, and happiness as they navigate life and love together.

In this installation, Dorothy is about to get remarried, but seeing the bride before the ceremony proves to be fatally bad luck for the groom.

Rather than spectators of this unfolding performance, attendees are cast as wedding guests. While patrons partake of a menu provided by Theatre Three that includes mimosas, Bloody Marys, cinnamon French toast casserole, sausage-egg-and-cheese casserole, yogurt, fruit parfaits, cakes and cookies, festivities take a fun, funereal turn when the groom meets a suspicious end.

Now tasked with finding the murderer, participants get clue packets to help Dorothy, Rose, Blanche, and Sophia solve the crime. Ballots are also supplied so people can write down who they think the murderer is and why. Hilarity and hijinks ensue as they work together on the whodunit.

“I’m excited to have our audience members—many of whom are longtime subscribers and friends of the theater—actively involved in the theatrical experience. It’s also a great opportunity to break the fourth wall in a way that’s usually not possible,” Theatre Three’s Artistic Associate/Director of Development Douglas Quattrock said. 

Instead of actors and audience, cast and congregants are collaborators in amateur sleuthing.

The show is the brainchild of writer/director/producer Keith Dougherty. Proprietor of Murder Mystery Manhattan, he specializes in writing unauthorized parodies that spoof popular TV shows and film, as well as spoofs of cult classic films and TV shows. This is his first time working with Theatre Three. 

“Personally, I like writing all the Golden Girls scripts because not only are the main characters iconic, but the show was so ahead of its time with many of the topics they tackled that are still relevant today,” Doughtery said. 

The Golden Girls Gone Wild features Dougherty as Dorothy Soreback; Laurel Riley Brown as Rose Nylon; Teri Monahan as Blanche Devilho; Amanda Baumler as Sophia Barilla; and Timothy Scott Harris in a dual role as Phil and Pat McCrotch.

“One of our longtime patrons had seen them perform before, and when she attended our previous murder mystery event, she recommended them to me,” Quattrock said. 

This partnership is part of Theatre Three’s ongoing creative effort to raise money for the arts and simultaneously regale its supporters. Unlike many previous fundraisers, which have been project oriented, this production is designed to support the theater as a whole.

“While we typically allocate fundraisers to specific causes, this one will support all of Theatre Three’s ongoing programs. We wanted to ‘spread the wealth,’ so to speak,” Quattrock said. “There are many worthwhile causes, and we felt that supporting all of them would be particularly helpful at this time.” 

Showcasing The Golden Girls Gone Wild for such an endeavor is a worthy undertaking to Dougherty, melding entertainment with outreach. “Murder Mystery Manhattan always likes to give back to the community and is happy to perform for a good cause,” he said. “We love what we do and appreciate the audiences and venues whose support allows us to continue to do what we love.”

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Tickets are $125 each and includes brunch. The show runs approximately three hours. All proceeds benefit Theatre Three, located at 412 Main Street, Port Jefferson. To order, call 631-928-9100 or visit www.theatrethree.com. 

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Stony Brook University will hold its 7th annual Giving Day on March 26.

Day Dedicated to Philanthropic Giving from Inside and Outside the University Community

On Wednesday, March 26, Stony Brook University is hosting its seventh annual Giving Day. This 24-hour crowdfunding event brings together alumni, friends, patients, parents, faculty, staff and students to support causes close to their hearts in an effort to help Stony Brook “Be Unstoppable.”

More than 130 different academic units, clubs, athletic teams, clinical departments, student enrichment programs, and other initiatives across the Stony Brook community will be positively impacted on Giving Day. A series of special matching gifts and participation challenges will multiply the impact of individuals’ donations. To inspire participation, all gifts made will be tracked in real-time on givingday.stonybrook.edu.

The university looks to surpass previous years’ results, with a goal of 3,500 unique gifts. Last year, Giving Day generated $1.6 million from 3,800 gifts. Donations have totaled $3.8 million dollars since the inaugural Giving Day in 2019. Every year, about 20% of gifts come from first-time donors.

“Giving Day is an exciting opportunity for the Stony Brook community to step forward and support the university in a big way. Every year, I am inspired by our community’s engagement, not just by their generous philanthropic contributions but also by the motivation behind their philanthropy,” said Scott Barrett, interim vice president for advancement.

“It’s remarkable to see how many people are driven by the positive impact they can make for our current students and faculty — and, frankly, for generations to come. I look forward to celebrating that impact again this year,” he said.

For those seeking to make social media postings regarding Giving Day, the hashtags for this year’s Giving Day are #SBUGivingDay and #BeUnstoppable.

For more information, visit givingday.stonybrook.edu.

 

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Parker Hutchinson. Photo courtesy the Hutchinson family

By Joshua Kim

If you want to catch a glimpse of Parker Hutchinson’s fresh, cleanly faded, cut-in-Massapequa hair, you’ll have to act fast. On  St. Patrick’s Day, March 17, with about 12 others, 11-year-old Parker is going to shave off his hair in the auditorium of Port Jefferson High School. 

Parker Hutchinson with his parents

The shaving is part of a fundraising event for St. Baldrick’s Foundation, which was brought to Port Jefferson School District by childhood cancer survivor and Port Jefferson High School senior Kyle Martin. Melissa Martin, Kyle’s mother as well as Parker’s kindergarten teacher, described the foundation as “an organization that raises money to help fund children’s cancer research. They try to help children in the area where the money is raised.” 

Kyle, who plans to attend SUNY Geneseo in the fall, hopes to leave Port Jeff’s St. Baldrick’s as his legacy — a way to make a difference while teaching others along the way to stay positive and keep fighting.

People can participate at St. Baldrick’s events in two ways —as shavees and as fundraisers. At the time of writing, in addition to planning to shave his head, Parker has also raised over $2,300 for the foundation, meeting his original goal of $250 more than nine times over. 

He said he’d gotten donations from over 50 people, including seven people who donated over a hundred dollars, through posting on social media and directly asking the people around him, like coaches, friends and family, to help the cause. Paige Hutchinson, Parker’s mom, said that “everyone sees it’s for a good cause, so people have been so generous and willing to donate.”

For the past two years, Port Jefferson Middle School had shown its students a video about St. Baldrick’s encouraging them to join in. This year, Parker, who had fundraised for his sports teams and school before, was convinced; in particular, he remembered the video telling him that every two minutes, a child is diagnosed with cancer. He registered for the event as soon as he could. 

The original $250 goal was met in less than a day. Two weeks in, he hit $1,000, texting his mom, “We’re over!” Then, just a few days later, he hit $2,000. The family is hoping to “punch out another thousand” before March 17. Parker only said he was “happy because everyone’s been so supportive” when he saw how the money was coming in. His mom put it a bit more strongly: “He was psyched!” 

But while the support he’s received is exciting, he still says that the event is really about “helping kids who are going through bad stuff to have hope.” 

“If there are kids who don’t even have cancer who shave their heads, [it] can show them they’re not alone and that it’s not embarrassing,” he said.

When the day comes, he’ll walk over with his classmates during their lunch period to the Port Jefferson High School auditorium before noon, where he expects there to be around 500 people: middle and high school students, teachers, parents and community members. Then, he and the 12 other participants will go on stage to have the deed done by local barbers. As for what he’ll do after, Parker said that he’ll “maybe go downtown once the day’s over.” Then, of course, he’ll spend the next few months around school with a hairless head.

“We didn’t tell him to do anything. We didn’t ask him to do anything —it was all his idea. So that’s amazing. And then on the flip-side, it’s been nice to see the support he’s gotten from the folks who are willing to donate,” said his mother.

“The support from the local community has been overwhelming,” added her husband, Pete.

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Join the Northport Chorale for their annual fundraiser, “A Night at the Line Dancing!” at Christ Lutheran Church, 189 Burr Road, East Northport on Saturday, March 15 from 6 p.m. to 10 p.m.

Enjoy a hot and cold buffet, dessert table, raffles,“Baskets-By-Rachel’,” 50/50, line dancing and a pre-St. Patty’s Day old fashioned Irish sing-a-long to finish the evening. Tickets are $35 per person. To order, please call 631-754-3144. For more information, visit northportchorale.org.

 

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Photo by J. Marcus
Photo by J. Marcus

The Resurrection Byzantine Catholic Church, 38 Mayflower Ave., Smithtown will host its annual Pysanky egg decorating class in the Church Hall on Sunday, March 23 from 12:30 to 5:30 p.m. Make a traditional Ukrainian egg to take home!

Designed for all skill levels, each participant will be required to bring an unscented candle in a holder, pencils and paper towels. Starter kits must be purchased for $15. Other supplies such as styluses, wax, etc. will be available for purchase. Class fee $20.

Registration is due by March 10. To reserve your spot, please call Joanne at 631-332-1449 (leave a message).

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Pictured from left, board member Richard Hamburger, Executive Director Claudia Fortunato, board member Kevin Coneys, Six Harbors owner Mark Heuwetter, and board members Peter Chase, Robert Hughes, and Toby Kissam. Photo courtesy of Lefferts Tide Mill & Preserve

The Lefferts Tide Mill & Preserve recently received a generous donation of $1,100 from Six Harbors Brewery representing a portion of the sales of the specially brewed Lefferts Tide Mill Lager sale.

The special beer was brewed by Brewery co-owner Mark Heuwetter, and introduced to the public last August at  a fundraising event at the Brewery for the Lefferts Tide Mill & Preserve. The lager was available for sale in the following months with a portion of the sale of each pint or can earmarked for the continued preservation of the mill.

“I like giving back to the history of Huntington because Six Harbors is a result of the research my wife and I did when I was just starting the Brewery,” said Heuwetter. 

“I knew the people of Huntington would be so interested in learning about the 18th century Lefferts Tide Mill that I wanted to make it known that tours of the mill are available through the Huntington Historical Society. The beer was a great way to start the conversation!” said Lefferts Tide Mill & Preserve’s Executive Director Claudia Fortunato.

If you missed a chance to get a taste of the beer, don’t worry — the fundraiser will be held again this year!  The funds raised from the Lefferts Tide Mill Lager will be dedicated to the crucial task of maintaining the mill and ensuring its doors remain open as a museum.

The Lefferts Tide Mill & Preserve is a not-for-profit organization, established in 2013, with a mission to preserve and protect an 18th century tide mill, located in the Village of Lloyd Harbor, that is the best-preserved tidal grist mill in the United States. The mill design is based on U.S. Patent No. 3 for an “automatic mill” signed by President George Washington. The mill pond has flourished into a haven for native and migratory waterfowl, contributing significantly to the region’s biodiversity.

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Many puppies including Gia will be up for adoption at the fundraiser on Feb. 14. Photo courtesy of Dori Scofield
Many puppies including Bunny will be up for adoption at the fundraiser on Feb. 14. Photo courtesy of Dori Scofield
Many puppies will be up for adoption at the fundraiser on Feb. 14. Photo courtesy of Dori Scofield
Many puppies will be up for adoption at the fundraiser on Feb. 14. Photo courtesy of Dori Scofield
Many puppies will be up for adoption at the fundraiser on Feb. 14. Photo courtesy of Dori Scofield

By Julianne Mosher

Who needs a box of chocolates when you can adopt a puppy this Valentine’s Day?

Save-A-Pet Animal Shelter will be hosting its first annual Valentine’s Day Yappy Hour on Feb. 14 from 5 to 7 p.m. at its Port Jefferson Station location for a special holiday fundraiser.

According to Dori Scofield, president of Save a Pet, the Yappy Hour will feature wine, charcuterie boards and desserts inside the adoption center, which they are transforming into a romantic setting for a purr-fect night out. 

“We’ll have tables set up with candlelight and roses for the women,” she said. “It’s going to be a really fun night.”

Proceeds from the event will go towards helping dogs who need orthopedic surgeries, including Teddy, above. Photo courtesy of Dori Scofield

Just this month, the shelter, which is already home to several dozen cats and dogs up for adoption, received 30 puppies from Georgia and Puerto Rico. 

“The shelters there are just too overcrowded,” said Scofield.

Those little loves, who will be joining you for your date night roaming the room, are up for adoption and the $25 ticket price will come off the adoption fee, Scofield added.

Proceeds from the event will go to continue support for the adoption center and also help care for three special cases; dogs who need orthopedic surgeries. One dog, Teddy, who is not for adoption, was unfortunately hit by a car and thanks to his latest procedure will be at Yappy Hour sporting his new cast and overseeing the night’s schedule.

If you’re looking for a lovable cat or dog who might be a little older, all the other animals available will be adoptable, too.

Those animals come from all different situations, Scofield said. “We have strays, animals who were abandoned, left in the woods, left in the streets… abandoned, abused and neglected.”

And you won’t need Cupid to shoot an arrow through your heart to fall in love with one of them.

Save-A-Pet, 608 Route 112, Port Jefferson Station will hold a Valentine’s Day Yappy Hour on Feb. 14 from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m. Tickets are $25 per person. For reservations, visit www.saveapetusa.org. 631-473-6333.

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METRO photo

It’s back! Resurrection Byzantine Catholic Church, 38 Mayflower Ave., Smithtown will hold their annual Spaghetti Dinner Fundraiser in the church’s Social Hall on Sunday, Feb. 2 from 1 p.m. to 6 p.m. Tickets are $25 adults, $15 children and includes spaghetti and meatballs, salad, dessert and coffee. Cash bar. Sit down or take out. For reservations, please call  631-332-1449 by Jan. 29. 

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A Concert in Gratitude. Photo courtesy of St. Vincent de Paul

On Nov. 25, the John W. Engeman Theater in Northport hosted A Concert In Gratitude, a heartwarming musical event honoring Northport music educators Dana Warren and Marie Michalopoulos while celebrating the town’s rich musical legacy.

A Concert in Gratitude. Photo courtesy of St. Vincent de Paul

Organized by the Messina Memorial Foundation, the evening brought together a vibrant mix of local bands, vocalists, and performers, spanning genres from rock to opera. Featured acts included The Warren Five & Guests, The Blast, The Little Wilson Band, The Jack Daniels Band, Tricycle, Steve & Sandy Edwards, and Natalie Seus & Steve Messina.

Proceeds from the event will benefit the Society of St. Vincent de Paul Long Island (SVDPLI) in their mission to provide vital assistance to individuals and families in need. “The Messina Foundation wanted to honor Northport’s musical heritage while supporting SVDPLI, which makes a significant impact in our community,” said organizer Steve Messina.

“Our Vincentian volunteers dedicate countless hours to delivering hope and help to Long Islanders in need. This event will enhance our ability to provide essential resources like housing, food, clothing, and spiritual support,” shared Thomas Abbate, CEO of SVDPLI.

SVDPLI continues to serve Long Island families with compassion, offering home visits and personalized assistance. From rent aid to utility relief and medical support, their work fosters stability and dignity across the region.

Learn more about their mission at svdpli.org.

About The Society of St. Vincent de Paul

The Society of St. Vincent de Paul is a Catholic lay organization that encourages people to join in spiritual growth by offering person-to-person services to the needy and suffering in the tradition to its founder, Frederic Ozanam and St. Vincent de Paul.  Help is available in any of their 68 conferences in 63 parishes and does not discriminate because of race, religion or gender.  They provide clothing, furniture and financial assistance for qualifying applicants.  They also have donation bins across Long Island and stores in Huntington Station and Garden City.  For more information about them, to become a Vincentian or to apply for aid, call 516-822-3132.

About The Messina Family Foundation

In loving memory of our parents, Philip and Phyllis Messina, we have established The Messina Memorial Foundation to carry on a legacy of generosity and community spirit. The foundation organizes one charitable event each year to honor our commitment to giving back and helping those in need. We are proud to continue our parents’ tradition of paying it forward. With your help, we are making a positive impact on the lives of others.

About Dana Warren & Marie Michalopoulos

Honorees Dana and Marie are newly retired choral teachers from Northport School District. Both can be found performing or musical directing locally from time to time and have active private studios. They would like to thank The Messina Memorial Foundation for this wonderful honor and opportunity to perform.

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From left, Assemblywoman Jodi Giglio, County Executive Ed Romaine and Pam Green

On Nov. 7, Suffolk County Executive Ed Romaine and New York State Assemblywoman Jodi Giglio presented a proclamation to Pam Green, Executive Director of Kent Animal Shelter, to recognize the tireless and unwavering dedication of Kent in saving homeless animals over the past 55 years. 

The proclamation went on to say that the shelter is a beacon of hope and a haven of healing for animals that were abused or abandoned giving them a second chance in life. It was presented at the Kent Gala that was held at the Long Island Aquarium in Riverhead attended by 285 guests. Kent Animal Shelter is currently building new facilities at its Calverton location. The building project, expected to be completed in the spring of 2025, includes a new kennel and isolation facilities.

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