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The Long Island. Photo courtesy of Fred Hall

By Sabrina Artusa

The Bridgeport and Port Jefferson Steamboat Company have added a new vessel to its fleet: the Long Island.

The 300-foot long,  53-foot wide ferry completed its first voyage to Bridgeport on Dec. 27. The boat features new amenities such as an updated interior and tier 4 engines, the highest standard for diesel engines. It can carry 1,000 passengers and up to 124 cars.

The Bridgeport and Port Jefferson Steamboat Company Vice President and General Manager Fred Hall was the second passenger on the first voyage of the Long Island. “It was a wonderful trip; it was great to see people oohing and aahing at the decor that they hadn’t seen before.”

Unlike the smaller Park City, the Grand Republic or PT Barnum, the Long Island has seating along the window, a counter with phone charging stations, two-seat and four-seat tables and a separate cabin for pets.

The speed is the same as the other boats, but the engine is of a higher standard and releases less carbon monoxide, nitrogen oxide, hydrocarbon and particulate matter emissions.

The addition of a fourth boat to the fleet allows Hall and the company to pursue ventures besides the simple transit to and from Bridgeport.

Hall said that years ago the company used to plan excursions to other locations, such as Playland Park in Rye, an overnight trip to Albany or a trip down the Connecticut River. With an extra boat, this now may be possible.

A fourth boat also alleviates the burden of demand. the company can only schedule three boats, but having a fourth reduces the inconvenience of delays in the case one of the others needs repairs or is out of commission.

Further, Hall is exploring the possibility of using the fourth boat as a shuttle. In other words, if there is a surplus of vehicles waiting to board, and the scheduled vessel is at capacity, the fourth can serve as a shuttle to transport the remaining cars.

“This is the huge benefit,” Hall said. “Everyone asks me when is your peak season. I’ve always said when the public schools aren’t in session.” He had meant summers, but has since realized that weekends are just as busy.

“Our goal is to provide three-vessel service every weekend of the year. It is not going to happen 100% of the time. If you have four boats you have a better chance of providing three-boat service on the weekends consistently,” Hall said.

Come down to the Port Jefferson Harbor and check out the new addition of the Long Island.

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File photo by Raymond Janis

LIRR funding shortfall

LIRR commuters should be concerned about insufficient funds being programmed to bring bridges, viaducts, tunnels and other basic infrastructure that are in poor or marginal condition up to a state of good repair in the proposed MTA $68.4 billion 2025-2029 Five Year Capital Plan.  This also applies to Metro North Rail Road and NYC Transit.  It is questionable if $600 million is sufficient funding for LIRR critical infrastructure projects under the proposed next Five Year Capital Plan. Can this eliminate the growing backlog of critical infrastructure repair.  Too many critical capital assets remain in daily service beyond their anticipated useful life. There is still a $33 billion shortfall to fully fund the proposed upcoming Five Year Capital Plan.

Safety, state of good repair, reliable on time performance with a minimum of service disruptions at a fair price should be a higher priority than system expansion projects.  The $7.7 billion Second Avenue Subway Phase 2, $5.5 billion Queens Brooklyn Light Rail Inter Boro Express and $3.1 billion Metro North Bronx East Penn Station Access projects all need to be put on hold.  Funding for all three would be better spent on critical infrastructure projects benefiting over 4 million NYC Transit subway, 200,000 plus LIRR and 200,000 plus Metro North daily commuters.  MTA Chairman Janno Lieber and MTA Board members have a fiduciary responsibility to protect the interests of riders and taxpayers.

Larry Penner

Great Neck

Keep those letters coming…

Congratulations to my fellow 2024 Letter to the Editor writers.  Surveys reveal that “Letters To The Editor” is one of the most widely read and popular sections of newspapers.   

Most newspapers will print letters submitted by any writer regardless of where they live so long as the topic is relevant to readers.  

It helps to have a snappy introduction, good hook, be timely, precise, have an interesting or different viewpoint to increase your odds of publication. Papers welcome letters commenting on their own editorials, articles or previously published letters to the editor.

I’m grateful that TBR News Media affords both me and my fellow letter writers the opportunity to express our views, as well as differing opinions on issues of the day.  

Please join me along with your neighbors in reading TBR News Media.  Patronize their advertisers; they provide the revenues necessary to keep them in business. This helps pay to provide space for your favorite or not so favorite letter writers.

Larry Penner

Long Time Reader 

and Frequent Letter Writer

Great Neck

Armed guards aren’t the answer

As has become the norm in the Three Village Central School District members of the community have discovered a cause to champion that needn’t be raised.  Now that the start time phenomenon has become a budget-contingent coming attraction, armed guards in our schools are the latest call to action.  A knee-jerk reaction to an unfortunate, yet thankfully harmless, incident at Ward Melville High School this past fall, has been the demand to arm our security guards.  The reasoning behind this charge is the all too familiar claim that “the only way to fight a bad guy with a gun is a good guy with a gun.”

Decades of research by the highest and most well-trained law enforcement agencies in the country have debunked this “theory” and proven that many times the presence of armed guards in school settings has invited and/or intensified the violence committed.  Anyone with recollection of the atrocities in Uvalde and Parkland knows firsthand that armed security did nothing to deter the perpetrator and no lives were saved.  As a mother and an educator there is nothing more important than safety in school buildings and I would never begrudge any parent the feeling of security when a child is in an academic setting.  However, there are myriad other approaches to avoiding threats to our children today and they do not include arming security guards. 

The pushback will of course be the previously noted adage about fighting a bad guy with a good guy gun, especially since many of the guards are former law enforcement officers.  None of the crusaders of this battle are willing to note the fact that we are actually very lucky.  Long Island has fortuitously been spared any instances of mass gun violence in our schools.  And the one scary instance that Three Village experienced was handled responsibly and transparently.  Yes, a gun entered our high school.  Yes, there was a chance something horrific could have occurred, but it didn’t.  The true concern is that a weapon came through the doors.  The best defense against a repeat situation is a system of detection (and not metal detectors) not an addition of guns.  

At this juncture we need to trust that our district security experts have the best interests of our children at heart and will continue to keep them safe.  Guns in and/or around our schools is not the answer.

Stefanie Werner

East Setauket

The opinions of columnists and letter writers are their own. They do not speak for the newspaper.

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

 

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METRO photo

By Daniel Dunaief

Daniel Dunaief

It’s hard to come up with a short list of the pros or cons of skiing. The experience, with everything from getting there, to being there, to trekking home, is filled with, if you’ll pardon the pun, ups and downs.

I’d like to share a few observations from our recent venture to the slopes.

For starters, just being in the mountains is extraordinary. The air is fresh, clear and clean and the views of snow-capped peaks and valleys are inspiring. Of course, you have to get to those mountains, which can require anything from a long drive to a flight filled with challenges and delays.

On a recent trip, our flight to those magnificent mountains involved sitting in a row on the plane that was exceedingly hot. When I asked the flight attendant why the plane was so warm, she explained that we were likely sitting near the engines.

The way home was no picnic either, because those wonderful winter storms that bring snow caused us to have a five hour delay, coupled with another hot ride home that suggested that the entire plane must have been sitting too close to the engines. Other passengers complained that they were wearing tank tops and jeans and sweat through their pants.

Back to the positive, the chairlift experience often is an opportunity to meet interesting and compelling people during a short but jovial journey. In one such conversation, I met a precocious nine-year old boy named Stephen, who told me he and his family, including his mother with whom we rode the lift, had recently visited London and Paris. He said he liked the food better in Paris, but that the food in London had improved over the years.

“And how would you know that?” his flabbergasted and amused mother asked. 

He shrugged.

“My mom travels a lot for her work, so she’s not always around,” Stephen said. “Sometimes, we get to go with her to fun places, though.” That statement seemed to offer an interesting window into the dynamic in their household.

Those chair lift rides, however, can take longer to board and to ride than expected. The lifts can  stop at inopportune times, near a snow gun that blankets skiers and snowboarders with snow we’d prefer were beneath our feet rather than trickling down our necks. Other times, people on those lifts swing their legs back and forth, making me feel as if I’m on someone else’s suspended rocking chair.

On a trip down the slopes, the speed and movement can be exhilarating. The swishing sound of the snow and the speed of the wind, without any mechanical noise from an engine, can allow us to experience the world at higher speeds, as the sound of rushing air and sliding skis combine to form a whispering symphony. At the bottom, our tired but rejuvenated muscles can relive the excitement from our self-directed ride.

We are not the only ones on the slopes and, while we might enjoy the thrill of a high speed run, we may also brace ourselves for the possibility that other skiers or snowboarders might push themselves beyond their limits. We could become bowling pins on a mountain, as others lose control, barrel into us and knock us down.

In the moment, the great unknown over the next plateau presents the opportunity to anticipate and embrace the terrain ahead. Perhaps the untrodden snow just past the peak has perfectly packed powder, the mogul (or bump, in modern parlance) is the right height and dimensions to catch some air, or the width and steepness of the slopes is exactly as we imagine when we dream of the ideal slope.

The other side of that peak, however, may have thin cover, with grass or even exposed rock, while someone may have taken a spill just beyond what we can see, turning them into obstacles we have to avoid.

While the pieces of equipment makes it possible for us to traverse snow covered mountains deftly, they are not designed for everyday maneuvering. Walking through a parking lot in ski boots can be torture for our shins, which may take days or more to forgive us for our skiing indulgence.

And, finally, the weather can offer the kind of glorious sunshine that transports us into an Ansel Adams poster or inserts us into picture postcard, with light shimmering off the tops of mountains, causing snow covered trees to glow. Then again, Mother Nature doesn’t care how much you spent on lift tickets and is perfectly happy to throw wind, rain, sleet and snow at you from every direction.

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By Leah S. Dunaief

Leah Dunaief,
Publisher

They weren’t really New Year’s resolutions but rather goals I set out for myself during the holidays when the office would be closed and we would be on a staycation. Did I meet them? Even though I was ill with a nasty upper respiratory infection for the entire time off, I did manage to accomplish the desired result.

What were they? I wanted to read two unusual books, recommended by The New York Times, over the 10 day period. And I did.

Now that may not sound like such a challenge to most people, but my reading, because of my job, is to keep up with the news. After all, I am a newspaper publisher and newspapers provide the first draft of history

So reading books, for me, is a luxury, and I’d like to tell you what two books I read because I found them engaging and would, in turn, readily recommend them. One was the beautifully written, “Horse,” by Pulitzer-prize winning author, Geraldine Brooks. I should tell you that my favorite reads are historical fiction and biographies. Those are, for me, effortless ways to learn history and any other subject with which the characters are involved.

“Horse” is indeed about a four-legged animal named Lexington, probably the most famous American racehorse in our history, who lived in the mid-1800s and about art. The horse is the literary device that ties the characters, who live in three different centuries, together. Some of them live before and after the Civil War, some in mid-century 1900s and the rest in the 2019. With that temporal range, Brooks touches on key themes: class, race, regional cultures, war, and the intelligence and loyalty of animals. The book, to a remarkable extent, is based on real people, as evidenced by the extensive research provided by the author in the coda called, “Lexington’s Historical Connections,” and it has a riveting plot.

Now I happen to love horses, always did from my earliest memories, when I was enchanted by the horses and riders on the trail in Central Park and begged to join them. I believe that’s a passion handed down through our genes. My mother’s father, I was told, was something of a horse whisperer, and my father was persuaded to take time from his work, something he almost never did, and accompany me one afternoon on a horseback ride through the park when I was about six years old. Since he had grown up on a farm, riding was familiar for him, although he did ask the stableman where we rented the horses if he could ride bareback rather than on what he called the “postage stamp” English saddle. The groom leading out the horses for us was stunned. Surprisingly he let us ride away toward the park.

But back to the book. It is not only the tale of the remarkable horse that engages the reader of this beautifully written novel. It is the rendering of the time and place in which each character lives, the deftly drawn personalities of the people who populate the stories, the challenges and tensions of their times, and ultimately how much and also how little times have changed.

And if you are an animal lover, the true heroes of the book are the animals.

The second book, which I happened to read first, was “The Wildes,” by Louis Bayard. While it doesn’t have the runaway narrative of “Horse,” it is more of a look back in time at the way Victorian England viewed homosexuality. The theme is developed through the lives of Oscar Wilde’s wife, Constance, and two sons. We meet them half a dozen years before his infamous trial in London, when they seem to be living a luxurious and loving pastoral existence. He is highly regarded as a famous author, playwright and witty companion, and she is involved in feminist causes.  Enter the aristocratic young poet, Lord Alfred Douglas, and the reality of life at that time begins to change the narrative. Ultimately it is Douglas’s provocative father, who causes Wilde to sue for libel, throwing his life open to titillating and legal inspection that brings ruin to the whole family.

The book is both witty for its clever dialogue and sad for all the shadows it reveals about the Wildes, society at the end of the 19th century, and what might have been in modern times.

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The flag at the Centereach Post Office flies at half staff in honor of former President Jimmy Carter on Jan. 6. Photo by Heidi Sutton

To honor former President Jimmy Carter’s death on Dec. 29, 2024, President Joe Biden announced that all U.S post offices will be closed on Thursday, Jan. 9. Carter was 100 when he died at his home in Plains, Georgia. The funeral for the country’s 39th president will be held on Thursday, and the federal government will be closed to honor the National Day of Mourning. As a result of the post offices’ closure, our paper will be mailed on Friday,  Jan 10.

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Photo courtesy of Robert David Lion Gardiner Foundation

The Robert David Lion Gardiner Foundation is pleased to announce it has donated a total of $8,098,574 in grants to historic organizations across Long Island and beyond during calendar year 2024. Grant recipients were recognized during two rounds of awards luncheons hosted by the Smithtown Historical Society in June 2024 and Old Westbury Gardens in December 2024. Grants will be used by a variety of Long Island historic sites to fund initiatives ranging from educational programs and exhibitions to publications, scholarships, and construction and renovation projects.

Recipients of the First Round 2024 Grant Awards are:

Association of Public Historians of NYS

Byrd Hoffman Water Mill Foundation

Caumsett Foundation, Inc.

Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory

Cow Neck Peninsula Historical Society

Fraunces Tavern Museum

Greater Westhampton Historical Museum

Long Island Children’s Museum

Long Island Library Resource Council, Inc. – Long Island and NY State History Day

Long Island Museum of American Art History and Carriages

Long Island Seaport and Eco Center

Montauk Historical Society

New York University

Queens Museum

Waterfront Museum

Whaling Museum & Education Center

 

Recipients of the Second Round 2024 Grant Awards are:

Friends of Raynham Hall, Inc.

Jewish Historical Society of Long Island

Long Island Library Resource Council, Inc. – Long Island History Day

Long Island Maritime Museum

Nassau County Museum of Fine Art

New York Historical Society

Sag Harbor History Museum

The Church

The Cooper Union

The following organizations received grants as part of the Gardiner Foundation’s new Challenge Match Grant program. The program recognized each organization’s fundraising efforts by matching up to $10,000 raised for new offerings during 2024.

Conscience Point Shellfish Hatchery, Corp.

Fireboat Firefighters Museum

Friends of Lakeview Cemeteries

Historical Society of Greater Port Jefferson

Historical Society of Islip Hamlet

Long Beach Historical and Preservation Society

Mattituck Laurel Historical Society

Miller Place Mount Sinai Historical Society

North Sea Community House

Oyster Bay Railroad Museum

Quogue Historical Society

Rocky Point Historical Society and Museum

Victor D’Amico Institute of Art

Wading River Historical Society

The Gardiner Foundation also awarded $1,600 to each of 35 historic organizations for employing young people as part of the 2024 Gardiner Young Scholars Program. To learn more about the program, visit https://www.rdlgfoundation.org/news/77.

“Fulfilling the historic educational vision of Bob Gardiner is a great privilege for our Board and all at the Foundation,” said Kathryn M. Curran, Executive Director of the Robert David Lion Gardiner Foundation.

ABOUT THE ROBERT DAVID LION GARDINER FOUNDATION

The mission of the Foundation is to educate, cultivate and encourage the study and understanding of Long Island and New York’s historic role in the American experience. The Foundation also supports scholarships and historic preservation, including study, stewardship and promotion of Long Island’s historic educational aspects. The Foundation was established by Robert David Lion Gardiner in 1987. Robert David Lion Gardiner was, until his death in August 2004, the 16th Lord of the Manor of Gardiner’s Island, NY. The Island was obtained as part of a royal grant from King Charles I of England in 1639. The Gardiner family and their descendants have owned Gardiner’s Island for 385 years. The Island remains private and is owned and maintained by direct Gardiner descendants to this day. The Robert David Lion Gardiner Foundation remains inspired by Robert David Lion Gardiner’s personal passion for Long Island and New York history. Since 2015, the Foundation has awarded over $45 million to support historical societies, museums, archives, research, scholarships and renovation, restoration and adaptive reuse of historic sites.

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Vice President Ann Pellegrino by one of the farm’s raised gardens. File photo

By Sabrina Artusa

Ann Pellegrino is a busy woman. Between the Bethel Hobbs Community Farm, a nonprofit farm she built herself and describes as “more than a full-time job,” and her appointments speaking at local hospitals about the life-changing effects of organ donation, it was difficult to schedule a time to talk. However, she made sure to make time to talk to me about what she describes as her calling.

In 2007, Pellegrino was in her car and noticed people in the woods hungry and homeless. The unfortunate sight ignited a passion she didn’t know she had — a passion that would be tested by the skepticism of others and the practical challenges of developing a farm without experience. 

She became certain what she was meant to be doing, that the vacant lot of loose, barren dirt — a collection ground for the unwanted and disposed — could become something nourishing and productive with the proper care. 

It started with a fence

After first ripping up her own lawn, intending to farm fresh vegetables to use in her own home (much to her husband’s dismay), Pellegrino had the idea to renovate the Bethel Hobbs land. For decades the land was farmed by the Hobbs family before ultimately falling into unuse after the death of Alfred Hobbs. 

Pellegrino received permission from the Bethel African American Episcopal Church to work on 50 x 50 acres, which then became 50 x 100. Her unwavering confidence in the project was intriguing, and as she began the work, increasing numbers of community members began offering support. 

“There was something inside of me that was giving me the drive to do it. If you didn’t do it you couldn’t sleep. They still think I’m crazy but they come and help now,” Pellegrino said. 

Once a single mother herself, Pellegrino knew that food pantries have a hard time finding good produce. Most of the produce that was donated was damaged, over-ripe or rotten. The plot of neglected land was the perfect opportunity to change that. 

Her father offered fencing, which piqued the interest of nearby residents who then asked Pellegrino about her plan. One neighbor offered his hose, another offered sprinklers. Previously, Pellegrino had been transporting water in her car. “This little vacant land with a fence going around it and a hose leading from across the street” was becoming something real.

Pellegrino’s contagious enthusiasm for helping others inspired their own generosity, just as their generosity inspired Pellegrino. “I feel blessed to be even a small part of our community,” she said.

And the community has shown that they feel the same way about the farm. Bethel Hobbs Community Farm hosts a plethora of events such as the annual “Run the Farm,” dances and breakfasts, not to mention, volunteers enjoy serving others as well as gardening on a beautiful day. 

“It is a great area for people to get together as far as a community hub is concerned,” said Lenore Paprocky, president of the Greater Middle Country Chamber of Commerce.

 “Her nature is such that she is a servant to her community and that comes naturally to her. For all these reasons you can’t help but become endeared to her,” said Paprocky, who has collaborated with Pellegrino in the past. “She is kind, giving, sincere, and genuine. We need more people like her.”

The late Peter Castorano, was invaluable in the development of the farm. Pellegrino describes him as her best friend. “My granddaughter was his granddaughter,” she said, emphasizing his importance to her and her family. 

Castorano died last year and always described himself as “Ann’s right hand man.”

Organ donation

In addition to the farm, Pellegrino speaks regularly at hospitals, offering encouragement to exhausted nurses and speaking on the life-changing effects of organ donation. She starts speaking during winter months while the farm is closed.  

At 19, Pellegrino’s son Christopher was paralyzed in a car accident. For seven years afterward, Christopher would speak at schools about the importance of wearing seatbelts; he would pursue his college degree in the hopes of getting involved with alcohol and drug rehabilitation; and he would try to change lives, like his mother. 

“His attitude was that if he could help save one life it is worth it,” Pellegrino said of her son, who passed on Christmas Eve in 2018. 

Pellegrino decided to honor his memory by pursuing his goal of helping save lives. She goes to hospitals and shares her son’s statement, something that she enjoys. “I get to celebrate him,” she said. Three men live on because of the gifts Pellegrino’s son made through organ donations. 

Moreover, she extends support to the staff. “This time of year I don’t want them to feel like they were forgotten and it’s not a thankless job. Letting them know what they do matters and it really counts,” she said. 

Paprocky describes Ann as quiet, thoughtful and eager to befriend anyone who shows an interest in service; a woman who exemplifies what it means to be a community leader; a true person of the year. It is for all of these accomplishments that Ann Pellegrino is a 2024 TBR New Media Person of the Year.

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Lenore Paprocky

By Jennifer Donatelli

Lenore Paprocky, president of the Greater Middle Country Chamber of Commerce has been named Person of the Year for 2024 by TBR News Media for her exceptional leadership, advocacy, and commitment to strengthening the local business landscape. 

Since taking the helm of GMCCC in 2020, Paprocky has been a driving force behind the chamber’s initiatives. Her leadership has not only propelled the chamber to new heights, but has also made it a vital resource for local businesses. 

The GMCCC, which serves the Middle Country area, including the towns of Centereach, Selden, Lake Grove and surrounding communities, represents a broad spectrum of industries. Under Paprocky’s stewardship, the chamber has expanded its services, increased its outreach and has become a central figure in the area’s economic development.  

By championing initiatives that support workforce development, business growth and entrepreneurship, Paprocky has helped create a more robust and resilient ecosystem in the local community. She has also worked closely with local municipalities and organizations to ensure the Middle Country businesses have access to resources and opportunities that can help them expand and thrive. 

Karen Roth, REMAX  agent and chamber board member, first met Paprocky when she started attending the board meetings, and felt an immediate connection. “I love her,” says Roth, “because she listens to the board members’ ideas and makes things happen.” 

One of those ideas was to have the chamber host an annual music festival. Working closely with elected officials, Paprocky managed to get a grant that covered the expenses for putting the festival together. Last year, the music festival was host to over 1,000 attendees, making it the largest turnout for events the chamber has ever had. This year’s festival was held in April.

Since 2008, she has been on the Smithtown Industry Advisory Board and works with Smithtown High School students in a mentoring program she started that gets students ready for college and the working world.  She says, “I love to mentor and help people succeed.”

Seeing a need to continue mentoring the youth in her community, Paprocky formed a partnership with the Holiday Inn and initiated a hospitality-driven internship program for college students, showing them how each department in an organization needs to work together in order for the company to grow, thrive and run effectively and efficiently.

This commitment to community engagement and mentoring has helped raise the profile of the GMCCC as not just a business entity, but also a pillar of the greater Middle Country area. 

Paprocky’s leadership has not only benefitted the Middle Country Chamber of Commerce, but has also inspired others to take an active role in supporting their local communities. Under Paprocky’s leadership, there is no doubt that the work she has done to date will continue to shape the regions’ economic future.

In addition to her job at the chamber, Paprocky is also the director of business development at Synergy Wealth Strategies in Smithtown, and recently co-founded Spheres of Influence, a nonprofit  organization that helps business professionals grow their business, while supporting local nonprofits at the same time. Through this initiative, she helps grassroots organizations raise their visibility and secure the funds needed to continue making a positive impact in the community.

Doreen Newman, a co-worker at GMCCC says, “Lenore brings a wealth of knowledge and energy to every endeavor. Her unstoppable spirit and ever-present smile are a testament to her commitment. She gives 110% to every project she undertakes, and she does it all with warmth and resilience.”

Seeing a need in the community for women business owners, Paprocky created a Women’s Power Hour series where once a month, women meet local professionals in the area to make new connections and discuss important topics affecting them. 

Roth says Paprocky is known for her relentless dedication. “Lenore seeks out new prospects, elevates brand awareness and manages all events with her signature enthusiasm and professionalism. Her passion for fostering meaningful connections is evident in everything she does.”

Paprocky was recognized for her efforts by being awarded Employee of the Year from Suffolk County Community College Education Advancement Center, as well as Volunteer of the Year and Member of the Year, consecutively. As an influential business leader, she was named one of the Top 50 Most Influential Women in Business on Long Island, as well as being awarded Long Island Business News Corporate Citizen of the Year. 

In naming Lenore Paprocky as Person of the Year, the recognition not only celebrates her past accomplishments, but also her vision for the future. Her tireless advocacy, leadership and dedication to the community, make her a true champion for local businesses and residents. She is a role model for others in the community, inspiring growth, innovation and unity for years to come.  

When asked what her biggest accomplishment is to date, Paprocky smiles and proudly says, “raising my daughter.”

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Meals on Wheels. Wikipedia photo

By Julianne Mosher

While helping to feed Long Islanders, two local Meals on Wheels groups are also the eyes, ears and friends of those in need of assistance. 

Comprised of 5,000 community-based programs, Meals on Wheels is a national network that is dedicated to addressing senior hunger and isolation.

Smithtown 

The Smithtown Meals on Wheels program, located within the Senior Center in the Smithtown township, provides a daily hot meal delivered directly to the homes of residents age 60 and over. 

According to Tina Pfennig, supervising community service aide with the Senior Center’s Meal on Wheels program, more than 40 volunteers help deliver hot meals to 90 clients weekly. Every day, volunteers will pick up the food, donated by a local Lake Grove deli, and deliver to the client’s home. Each entrée comes with milk, juice, fruit, bread and sometimes dessert. 

“We have some people who have been with the program long-term and some occasionally come on for a short period,” she added. 

This year, the group celebrated its 45th anniversary. 

But Pfennig said that the program would not run if it weren’t for the people who help out every morning and afternoon.

“Annually, we have a volunteer appreciation luncheon to show how much we appreciate them,” Pfennig said. 

She said that out of the roughly 40 volunteers, a few have been with the group for more than 20 years. Some have been volunteering for 10 years and others 15. They’re still receiving applications for new drivers to come on board.

“Thankfully people are always applying and we’re very grateful,” she said. “Without them, we wouldn’t have a program.”

Kim Cunningham, senior neighborhood aide, said that while the main role of the Meals on Wheels volunteers is to drive the food to each client’s house, they’re also looking out for them.

“If a client isn’t feeling well or there are other concerns, we make sure we follow through with their emergency contact,” Cunningham said. “They’ll have conversations with them and often become their friends.”

Along with the drivers, Cunningham and Pfennig noted that other volunteers who make this program possible are the kitchen staff who help package the food to give to the drivers. 

Like an assembly line, the tasks are “done efficiently, organized and in a timely fashion.”

Pfennig added that some former volunteers have now become clients, themselves. 

“We’re returning the favor and making sure they get healthy food, too,” she said. 

Three Village

While not directly affiliated with the national brand of Meals on Wheels, the Three Village organization is similar in that it provides healthy food to people of any age as long as they’re homebound due to medical concerns. 

According to their website, clients are the elderly or disabled who, due to immobility and isolation, are unable to prepare their own meals and referrals are made by doctors, social service agencies, hospitals, neighbors, family members or the clients themselves.

Ruth Spear, office manager of the Three Village Meals on Wheels, said that they charge $7.50 a day for two meals, one hot and one cold. If a client has concerns about payment, they can apply for a subsidy and that’s funded by a big fundraiser and donations throughout the year. 

Similar to other Meals on Wheels programs, food is prepared at Mather Hospital and St. Charles in Port Jefferson. Then, 130 volunteers pick up the meals and deliver to clients all over Northern Brookhaven — Stony Brook, Setauket, Port Jefferson, Port Jefferson Station, Miller Place, Mount Sinai, northern parts of Coram and Selden. In 2023, 28,000 meals were delivered.

“We are so appreciative of the staff at St. Charles and Mather because if it weren’t for them, we’d have to figure something else out,” Spear said. 

Each driver also creates that friendship with the client and acts as the eyes and ears of family who can’t be there to check in on their loved ones.

“If the driver gets to the door and a client doesn’t pick up the phone or answer, we’re going to call the emergency contact,” she said. “There are so many people who don’t see one human being all day or all week, so our drivers are the only people they’re seeing and being lonely is a terrible thing.”

Spear said that the beauty of the organization is that friendships are formed and people often become attached to one another. 

“That’s what I’m most proud of … The drivers really care about the clients,” she said. “If everyone can just help people in the community just a little bit, it can go a long way. It’s so gratifying and it’s a great feeling.”

For their volunteerism and dedication, all the volunteers of the local Meals on Wheels groups have been named TBR News Media 2024 People of the Year.

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