Ocean State Job Lot (OSJL) recently announced that its 2020 “Buy, Give, Get” program has resulted in the collection of 42,000 winter coats, nearly 12,000 more than last year, to be donated to veterans in need this winter.
From late October through early January, the “Buy, Give, Get” program at the closeout discount retailer’s 142 stores in nine states encouraged customers to purchase a quality, brand-name men’s or women’s winter coat for $40.00 (retail value: $80.00-$120.00) and give it back to the store for donation to a veteran. In appreciation of the donation, customers received a $40.00 Crazy Deal Gift Card to be used for a future purchase at Ocean State Job Lot, effectively allowing customers to donate winter coats for free.
Participating stores in our neck of the woods included Centereach, North Babylon and East Northport.
“We are so pleased with the results of this year’s program,” said David Sarlitto, Executive Director, Ocean State Job Lot Charitable Foundation. “What started out as a 600-coat test donation just a few years ago has grown into one of the largest programs of its kind serving veterans in need across the region. The fact that we exceeded last year’s donation — in the midst of a pandemic no less — is a true testament to the loyalty and generosity of our customers.”
The coats are currently being distributed to veterans’ organizations throughout the Northeast, in partnership with a multi-state network of more than 50 veteran support agencies, organizations, assistance programs and action groups serving New England, New York, New Jersey and Pennsylvania.
Town of Huntington Councilman Ed Smyth (R) will run for supervisor this November. Photo from Huntington Republican Committee
Soon after current Town of Huntington Supervisor Chad Lupinacci (R) announced Feb. 26 he wouldn’t run for reelection in November, Huntington Republican Committee Chairman Thomas McNally sent out an email stating the committee endorsed Councilman Ed Smyth for its candidate.
Smyth was first elected to the Town Board in 2017. Last November he ran unsuccessfully for state senator against Jim Gaughran (D-Northport).
“Ed Smyth is a Marine, a husband and father and a lifelong Huntington resident,” McNally said. “He has a vision for the future of our town and he exudes leadership. There’s not a better or more qualified person to be Huntington’s next town supervisor.”
Smyth thanked the committee for their endorsement.
“We’ve experienced tremendous success over the last three years, and I look forward to building on these achievements as town supervisor,” the councilman said.
In a Feb. 26 statement, Lupinacci said his decision not to run again for town supervisor came “after much deliberation and consideration with my family, friends and advisers.”
“To be clear, this was my decision and my decision alone made in the best interest of my family, the town and the Republican Party,” he said. “While this decision is a difficult one, it is made easier by the fact that in less than one term I have delivered on all of my campaign promises and will continue to accomplish the many goals I set out to achieve before this final year is complete. Few administrations have faced as many challenges, and few have achieved what we have. I am proud that I will leave the Town of Huntington in a far better place than when I took office, and for that reason I am incredibly optimistic about the future of the town and its hamlets that I love so much.”
In February, the Huntington Town Democratic Committee announced Rebecca Sanin’s run for Town of Huntington supervisor. The 42-year-old, who lives in Huntington Station with her family, has served as the president and CEO of the Health & Welfare Council of Long Island since 2017. Prior to that, she worked with Suffolk County Executive Steve Bellone’s (D) administration for more than five years as an assistant deputy county executive.
The Huntington Republican Committee also nominated David Bennardo and Salvatore Ferro for two open town council seats and Andre Sorrentino for superintendent of highways.
Bennardo is a former principal at Harborfields High School, and in July 2012, took over the role of superintendent in the South Huntington school district. Ferraro is president, CEO and owner of Alure Home Improvements and a current member of the town’s Zoning Board of Appeals. Sorrentino is the owner of Professional Automotive Services and Sorrentino Trucking, while currently serving as director of General Services for the town and a Huntington fire commissioner.
“We have an extraordinary team of talented professionals who are committed to making our town a better place to live,” McNally said. “We know that our team, our party and our town are all stronger when we work together. That’s the approach we’re going to take to win in November and it’s going to help us continue the progress we’ve made over the last three years to protect property taxpayers and encourage responsible economic growth.”
Town of Huntington Supervisor Chad Lupinacci was cleared of any wrongdoing in a recent investigation of sexual harassment rumors. File photo by Lina Weingarten
Huntington Town Supervisor Chad Lupinacci (R) released a statement Feb. 26 on his decision not to seek reelection in 2021.
“After much deliberation and consideration with my family, friends and advisers, I have decided not to seek reelection as Huntington Town Supervisor this November. To be clear, this was my decision and my decision alone made in the best interest of my family, the town, and the Republican Party. While this decision is a difficult one, it is made easier by the fact that in less than one term I have delivered on all of my campaign promises and will continue to accomplish the many goals I set out to achieve before this final year is complete. Few administrations have faced as many challenges, and few have achieved what we have. I am proud that I will leave the Town of Huntington in a far better place than when I took office, and for that reason I am incredibly optimistic about the future of the Town and its hamlets that I love so much.
“The effort to take the Town in a new direction began roughly four years ago and was inspired by my deep roots in Huntington, which was borne from a small butcher shop operated by my grandfather on New York Avenue in the old Huntington Station. On the campaign trail, I often recounted the importance of this butcher shop to my family’s history in Huntington and it served as my impetus for revitalizing the Huntington Station area. My campaign attracted a broad coalition inspired by my community connections, broad platform and commitment to move the Town in a new and better direction.
“In office, I immediately set to work on fulfilling my campaign promises. In our first month, I fulfilled my promise to make town government more transparent and accountable to its residents by enacting term limits, strengthening our ethics laws and increasing opportunities for constituent feedback. These measures increased confidence in town government and the democratic process.
“I also pledged to preserve and enhance the wonderful quality of life that makes Huntington a special place to live, work and raise a family. Every day, we worked to protect the suburban charm of our neighborhoods and historic downtowns, while creating new economic opportunity for this generation and the next. To provide our children with an even better town than the one we inherited, we committed to smart development, curbed the overdevelopment of Huntington Village, invested in open space and farmland preservation, revitalized our waterfront, and continued the reinvestment in and revitalization of Huntington Station.
“Among so many other accomplishments, I spearheaded the creation of the Town of Huntington Bureau of Administrative Adjudication, the first town court of its kind on Long Island, to efficiently adjudicate violations of the Huntington Town Code; held the line on property taxes with three Tax Cap-compliant budgets; protected the Town’s AAA-bond rating; and made unprecedented investments in our Town parks and facilities.
“While so much was accomplished to date, my time as Supervisor may be defined by two unprecedented challenges, one inherited, and one that no one could have anticipated.
“The decade-long litigation with LIPA over the assessment on the Northport Power Plant posed an existential threat to all homeowners, commercial property owners, and the Northport-East Northport School District. With settlement negotiations stagnant, a looming court judgment threatened ruin for our beautiful Town. Under my leadership, the Town negotiated an unprecedented settlement few thought possible. We eliminated the threat of total financial devastation, including up to $825 million in future tax refund payments to LIPA, which hung over the heads of our residents for over a decade, secured millions of dollars in additional funding for our schools and Town, and protected our residents against unsustainable tax increases.
“The once-in-a-lifetime pandemic came without warning and required quick decision-making and visionary leadership to protect our residents, businesses, front line workers and Town employees. Our Town developed a comprehensive plan to safely reopen facilities and deliver important services to our residents. We continued to provide daily meals for our senior citizens. We adopted countless measures to assist struggling local businesses, including the creation of a small business task force that continues to make recommendations for additional measures. Our country suffered terribly from this pandemic, and our Town was not spared that pain. I send my thoughts and prayers to all the victims of this insidious virus as well as their surviving family members. We will never forget and the first Monday in March has now been designated as “COVID-19 Victims and Survivors Memorial Day” in the Town of Huntington.
“As this phase of my public service career comes to a conclusion, I must thank our outstanding Town workers for everything that they have done to help make the new direction vision a reality. Public service remains a noble pursuit and our employees fully understand that.
“Our Town remarkedly includes so many people of different backgrounds and we draw our strength from this diversity. The Town Supervisor must ensure that the voices of all such people are heard and respected. I am proud to have served as a time when Huntington has come together with a united voice, even as our national discourse tends to divide us. To this end, over the course of my term, I have encouraged the celebration of our diversity while promoting a vision of a unified Town centered upon our shared values and common humanity as evidenced by initiatives preserving Huntington’s Black history and honoring the lives of Dr. Agnes Hiller, Samuel Ballton, Peter Crippen, and Paul Johnson.
“During my time as Town Supervisor, I have often thought of Jackie Robinson’s famous quote that “a life is not important except in the impact it has on other lives.” This quote motivated me during challenging times and inspired me to do more to help our residents. Whether one is in the public or private sector, we should remember Mr. Robinson’s wise words and do our best to make our corner of the world a better place. I am committed to doing just that in the next phase of my life because those values are my inheritance.
“I want to thank everyone for the friendship and support they have given me during my time as Town Supervisor. It has been an honor and a privilege to serve our Town and its residents and, rest assured, that I will continue approaching each day through the end of my term with the same vigor and passion for public service that I had on the day I was first elected.”
Lupinacci will serve the remainder of his existing term in office.
Mary McCue poses with her dog Abbie. Photo from Paws of War
By Kimberly Brown
Military members who served overseas are facing countless battles, even after their missions have ended and it’s time to return home.
McCue on duty overseas, below. Photo from Paws of War
Depression, post-traumatic stress disorder and substance abuse disorder are just some obstacles veterans have developed, making it difficult for them to adjust to a routine lifestyle again. Luckily, Robert Misseri, founded in 2014 Paws of War — a Nesconset-based nonprofit to support veterans with service dogs.
“It started out with requests from overseas from active military members who asked for our assistance because they knew I had experience with getting dogs over previously,” he said.
One thing led to another, and soon Misseri was receiving more and more phone calls from retired or disabled veterans who had learned what he was doing. They would share their stories with him about animals they left behind overseas, and how heavy it weighed on their heart.
Knowing their mental health struggles, the veterans began asking Misseri if he could provide them with a service dog.
“Our mission we felt was unique in a way because we were using rescue dogs,” he said. “We would train the dog and the veteran each day, hand in hand in our facility. We slowly started to learn, not from them, but from their families, friends and doctors that whatever we were doing was really working.”
The formula Misseri created worked and he credits the dogs for making such a significant impact on the veterans. What he also learned was that his organization created an alumnus among the veterans who have served in different branches overseas. When all together in the Paws of War facility the veterans became a family, and it made them look forward to coming to training.
“Learning their struggles, and then learning what these dogs can do for them was so important because they also knew that they were helping the dog,” he said. “This wasn’t a dog that we bred or we bought. This is a dog that also likely had come from a difficult situation. That’s why ‘Helping both ends of the leash’ is our motto.”
One of the many military members Misseri helped was Northport resident Mary McCue, a combat Marine Corps veteran who worked as an ammunition technician overseas. She was honorably discharged as a sergeant after she served for six years — two years longer than a typical four-year term.
“I loved it, I was having a blast meeting great people and having great experiences,” McCue said. “I was just really enjoying it at the time, but it’s a lot of traveling and you get a little burnt out. Sometimes it seems so surreal because it’s a whole different world and a whole different life, and sometimes I look back and think ‘Wow, I went to war.’”
McCue created a Facebook page, “Ammo Company! Good Times, Support and Reunions,” to give Marine veterans a platform to support each other through being home, adjusting and missing the Marine Corps.
“A lot of our members are all over the country, so it’s nice to have an outlet where we can reach out and talk to each other because we’re so far apart — and sometimes it gets pretty lonely,” McCue said.
After leaving the Marine Corps, she said she had a difficult time adjusting to civilian life. Missing the comradery that comes along with being a part of the Marines left McCue feeling isolated upon her arrival back home.
“Being in the military, you’re taught to tough things out,” she said. “You don’t complain, you don’t ask questions. You do the mission at hand or people die. So, when you come home, you’re this hard tough person and it’s hard to come to grips with the fact that you may have come home with some type of mental defect.”
“I was sick and tired of not being able to let go of ‘Marine Mary,’ — I wanted to exist as a Marine and a civilian because they were both a part of me, and I really didn’t know how to go about doing that,”
— Mary McCue
It took a long time for McCue to admit that she came back a different person. The many experiences she had packed into six years of service sat with her. After years of not reaching out for help, she finally built up the courage to get counseling.
“I was sick and tired of not being able to let go of ‘Marine Mary,’ — I wanted to exist as a Marine and a civilian because they were both a part of me, and I really didn’t know how to go about doing that,” she said.
A friend of McCue’s introduced her to Paws of War. Being in a better place in her life and always having a love for dogs, she thought a service dog would be a beneficial addition. A year ago, right before the country locked down because COVID-19 cases were increasing, Misseri told McCue he found a sweet golden retriever named Abbie who was rescued from an abusive home in North Carolina
“Of course, I immediately fell in love with her,” she said. “Our personalities match up perfectly. It’s such a blessing that she came into my life.”
Due to the COVID pandemic, McCue wasn’t able to start training at the Paws of War facility until August, but fellow clients, veterans and Misseri always kept in contact with her and Abbie, making sure everything was going fine.
“Once we started training, I found purpose in my life again,” McCue said. “Since Abbie was a rescue, she had her quirks coming in, too. She was definitely physically and mentally abused, so it was like she was helping me, and I was helping her.”
Being able to work with other veterans during training helped McCue, as they were all able to understand what each other went through, therefore providing unconditional support for one another.
Abbie is currently doing at-home Zoom training and, according to McCue, is very smart and doing a great job.
“Abbie has truly changed my life for the better, and I’m in debt to Paws of War for the rest of my life because they were able to make this happen for me,” McCue said.
To learn more about Paws of War, visit pawsofwar.org/donate-today.
Funeral service personnel at one of the Moloney Funeral Home locations wait for family to arrive for a drive-thru viewing, one of the ways to give mourners a chance to say last goodbyes during COVID-19. Photo from Moloney Family Funeral Homes
They worked considerably longer hours, sometimes alongside people who came to help from other parts of the state during a time of need. They buried their own family members, sometimes urging out-of-state relatives to stay where they were. They counted the number of people who entered their funeral homes, making sure they complied with changing rules about the number of people allowed at the time.
Below, a family gathers under an outdoor committal tent at one of the Moloney Funeral Home locations awaiting the completion of the cremation for their relative. Photo from Moloney Family Funeral Homes
And, as with many other businesses, funeral directors maneuvered through the challenges of procuring personal protective equipment and supplies during the difficult and tragic early months of the pandemic.
Funeral homes, which have sometimes been described as the “last responders,” have had to react to changing state regulations, protecting the families of those who come to pay their final respects — and their own staffs.
During prepandemic times, “we might have had three or four wakes at one time,” said Fred Bryant, president of East Setauket-based Bryant Funeral Home. “That doesn’t happen now.”
Bryant converted three rooms into one large room, which made it possible to have 50 percent of their capacity.
Sergio Benites, managing partner at Bryant Funeral Home, said the business has allowed between 80 and 90 people at a time in the facility.
Like other public gathering places, funeral homes initially could have up to 10 people. Over time, as the number of infections, hospitalizations and deaths declined, the state, through Gov. Andrew Cuomo’s (D) office, relaxed regulations, first increasing the limit to 33 percent of capacity and then raising that to the current 50 percent.
Even with the higher capacities, funeral home directors have sometimes asked people to wait for someone to leave the facility before allowing new people to enter.
“It happened more than several times,” said Michael Connell, who runs the M.A. Connell Funeral Home in Huntington Station which was started by his grandfather in 1923, five years after the Spanish flu pandemic. As with many other funeral homes during COVID-19, M.A. Connell has had mourners wait in line in the parking lot.
“When we reach our number, we make an announcement inside,” Connell said.
Indeed, funeral directors have received guidance from several organizations during the pandemic.
“It is encouraged that folks paying respects keep the time in the chapel to a minimum,” wrote Michael Gorton Jr., president of the Nassau-Suffolk Funeral Directors Association, in an email. “Pay your respects, offer condolences, have a comfortable conversation and be considerate of those who may be waiting to come in and pay respects. Because of capacity limits, there could be people waiting outside the building.”
During the worst of the pandemic, Gorton, who is a licensed funeral director at McManus-Lorey Funeral Home in Medford, said funeral directors from outside Long Island came to the area to help.
“The governor’s office allowed us to ‘deputize agents’ and allow nonlicensed people to help us with transfers as long as they were under the direct supervision of a licensed funeral director,” Gorton added.
“People are tending to come and go at a faster rate. People are aware of the fact that other people may want to come in.”
— Peter Moloney
Funeral directors appreciate how mourners have understood the circumstances of the pandemic and have shortened the time they spend on site.
“People are tending to come and go at a faster rate,” said Peter Moloney, co-owner of Moloney Family Funeral Homes, which has eight locations, including in Port Jefferson Station and Hauppauge. “People are aware of the fact that other people may want to come in.”
Some families have chosen to reduce the number of people who attend funerals, asking relatives who might be coming in from out of state to join the service through live streaming.
When Connell’s mother Betty Ann died in May, he said his family went through the same difficult decision that hundreds of other families have had to make.
“We decided we weren’t even going to have a public wake,” Connell said. “We had 10 people attend [who were all] immediate family.”
The Connells spent an hour visiting at the funeral home, had a short prayer service and then went to the graveside. Some people met the family in the parking lot and followed in the procession, without getting out of their cars at the cemetery.
Connell’s father, John, who had been married to his wife for close to 60 years, visited with his grandchildren, in a socially distanced setting, at his house.
Like many others, Connell has not set a date for a celebration and memorial for his mother’s life.
“Until we know we’re home free [with the virus], we’re not going to start the planning process,” he said.
Benites said Bryant Funeral Home still has about a dozen families that have postponed a larger event for their loved ones.
“They still aren’t ready” for any larger or more elaborate gathering as a part of a memorializing event,” Benites said. “When they’re ready, we’ll go back and try to give them a celebration of life.”
At times, grieving families have also had to wait to hold a service until close members of the family either have recovered from quarantine or have tested negative for COVID-19.
Benites said around three to five families are waiting for their next of kin to finish quarantine before they hold a service.
While these funeral homes are accustomed to thorough cleaning efforts, directors and owners said they have also complied with rules regarding disinfecting their sites between visits.
Funeral homes, some of which have held services for more than one member of the same family over the past year during the pandemic, have provided their customers and visitors with help managing their grief.
“We have more grief literature available to families during this time,” Moloney said. “The COVID pandemic has been very disruptive to the grief process. We’re all aware of the fact that people are grieving differently today.”
After all the challenges of the pandemic, funeral directors anticipate that more residents on Long Island and throughout the country will likely consider preplanning funerals.
“After we go through COVID, there will be a more obvious increase in the numbers of preplanned funerals,” Benites said.
A Centereach couple is looking to score big with their coffee café concept.
Cat and Tim Smith both had experience working in different coffee spots. Being natural baristas and mixologists, they decided they wanted to open up their own spot, blending some of their favorite things — coffee, snacks, games and a cozy atmosphere everyone can enjoy.
“There’s really nothing on Long Island that has both a gaming atmosphere and a café,” she said. “When we were younger, we would play games all the time. We’d have game nights every week.”
There is, however, a cafe with this concept a little further west from where the couple lives, Main St. Board Game Cafe, located at 307 Main Street in Huntington.
But the duo and their friends and family all began having kids — making it harder to go out, chill with their friends and find a space that can accommodate board games.
Cat and Tim Smith have been experimenting with different coffee flavors and showing off their new Level Up logo, seen on Tim’s shirt. Photo from Cat Smith
“We’ve put the feelers out there,” she said. “And so many people have said that they would love a place like this.”
Their idea for Level Up — a coffee and gaming café — originally started up nearly three years ago. While collecting more games to add to their library and finding a local roaster for beans, they devoted their weekends to finding a home to their soon-to-be business endeavor.
The Smith’s began saving, with the goal to settle down and officially open in 2020, but the COVID-19 pandemic derailed them. But Cat said that was a blessing in disguise.
“It’s been good in a few ways because we’ve been able to really take time and make sure we’re doing it the right way,” she said. “We want to use everything that we’ve been able to accomplish in this past year and really try to give back and make our business as community centered as possible.”
And it’s allowing them to thoroughly search the North and South Shores to find the best location possible. They want to be on a Main Street, with tons of foot traffic.
“We’ve been primarily looking on the South Shore, but we’re also considering Port Jeff,” she said. “We want to be where we can attract people who are interested in supporting local businesses and have a place to go to spend time with their friends when COVID settles down.”
But Level Up won’t be just for board game lovers, she said.
“We want people to nerd out and talk with fellow fan geeks about pop culture, comics and anything like that,” she said. “We want to have this community where people who are the deepest fans will come in and get really nerdy and chat with other people who are just as interested or people who are just mildly interested and want to learn more.
She added that Level Up will be a place that offers something different to do for locals.
“I think we want connection,” she said. “We want people to be able to come to us and find connection if they want it, or just delicious coffee.”
And the coffee drinks will be something out-of-this-world. Working with Brooklyn-based Sweetleaf Coffee Roasters.
“Our goal is to be really creative,” she said, adding that Level Up is going to be a “pop culture coffee house.”
For fans of Marvel, Lord of the Rings and Harry Potter, they’re working on some themed drinks that even Professor Severus Snape will want to order.
The couple said their goal is to be opened up sometime in the summer, so stay tuned.
To stay updated, follow @LevelUpCafeNY on Instagram and Level Up Cafe on Facebook.
This article was updated to include Main St. Board Game Cafe.
Suffolk County Police Homicide Squad detectives are investigating the death of a cemetery employee who was killed while working in a grave in Mount Sinai Thursday morning.
Rodwin Allicock was working at the bottom of a grave, which was more than 7 feet deep, at Washington Memorial Park, located at 855 Canal Road, when the grave collapsed at approximately 8:30 a.m. on Feb. 25.
His co-workers attempted to dig Allicock out, but were unsuccessful. Allicock, 42, of Coram, was pronounced dead at the scene by a physician assistant from the Office of the Suffolk County Medical Center.
Officers from the Suffolk County Police Emergency Service Section as well as Suffolk County Fire Rescue coordinators, representatives from the Suffolk County Department of Public Works, and members of the Middle Island Fire Department, Hagerman Fire Department, Selden Fire Department and Setauket Fire Department responded to the scene. The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) was notified and is investigating.
From left, teachers Bina Omidi, Marissa Guarino, and Paulyne Weiss (Chai Center Preschool Director) with children from The Chai Center Preschool. Photo by Caroline Tamer
The kids of The Chai Center Preschool in Dix Hills, ages 2 to 5, conducted a pajama drive for the Long Island chapter of the Pajama Program and collected over 50 pairs of pajamas to donate to children in need. They concluded the drive with a festive pajama party at school.
“Our students are young, but this charity was something they could really relate to,” said Paulyne Weiss, Director of The Chai Center Preschool. “They wear pajamas at night when they go to bed and those pajamas keep them warm and cozy. When they were told that some children do not have warm cozy pajamas like they do, they immediately wanted to help. This enriching experience taught them kindness in sharing what they have with others and inspired important conversations.”
The Chai Center Preschool, for children 18 months to pre-K, is a Reggio-inspired, New York State licensed preschool program designed to spark wonder and creativity, build confidence and skills and allow children to explore materials that encourage a questioning mind. For more information, visit them on Facebook or at www.TheChaiCenter.com.
The mission of the pajama program is to promote and support a comforting bedtime routine and healthy sleep for all children to help them thrive. The Pajama Program, which relies on a national network of volunteers, generous donors, and partnerships, has delivered over seven million good nights for good days to children facing adversity by providing new pajamas, storybooks, and resources for caregivers.
The gooey inside of the O-Mellow cookie. Photo by Julianne Mosher
This Port Jefferson Station mom has a secret that everyone is talking about: Secret Stuffed Cookies.
When the COVID-19 pandemic caused Ashley Winkler to halt working at her beauty salon, the mother of three decided to get creative.
Ashley Winkler, founder of Secret Stuffed Cookies, holding her Rainbow OG cookie. Photo by Julianne Mosher
“I’m a baker,” she said. “So, I started doing it for my family. I stuffed a rainbow cookie into another cookie. Then we had some Girl Scout cookies, and I stuffed those in. I just had fun with it.”
That’s when Winkler posted her tasty creations to social media — and they blew up. Friends began asking her if they could order a dozen of her stuffed, hearty treats.
“I was just doing it for fun,” she said. “I wasn’t trying to make money.”
Winkler said she felt guilty operating a cookie company out of her home when other local bakers were struggling to keep their doors open. She also wasn’t sure how long she’d be able to do it.
Last March, she thought the pandemic might only last a month — but nearly a year later, her quarantine project has become a passion.
Originally her Secret Stuffed Cookies Instagram page was private, only accepting close friends and relatives for local cookie pickups.
“But then May came and people were getting stimulus checks … They started ordering two dozen cookies every week from me and referring my account to their friends,” she said.
Back to work, and raising three little kids, Winkler wasn’t sure if she’d want to continue the baking. With a little help from her sister and a few neighbors, she decided to keep at it.
By February of 2021, 11 months since her first cookie being made, she has nearly 4,000 followers and ships her baked goods nationwide.
Three days a week, she bakes a minimum of 300 cookies. She always has her “Rainbow OG,” a chocolate chip cookie stuffed with a homemade rainbow cookie, the “O-Mellow,” an Oreo marshmallow cookie and several others on the menu — but she’s always switching it up.
Compared to other stuffed cookie companies, Secret Stuffed has several options for people with a sweet tooth.
“I don’t want to tell people what they have to get. I want people to choose what they want,” she said. “There’s a whole range, and they can choose how they want to pay and how many cookies they want to get.”
Secret Stuffed offers same-day pickup from her Port Jefferson Station home, next business day shipping and a pre-order option. She also recently set up a cookie subscription box, which features new types every month.
Baked fresh and packaged individually, Winkler said her cookies stay good for two weeks. They can be frozen or refrigerated to last up to a month.
She also teamed up with local businesses to sell cookies in-person. Right now, customers can find her sweets in Town and Country Market in Miller Place, Joe’s Campus Heroes in Selden, and Rose and Boom Boutiques in St. James and Mount Sinai.
To order and find out more information, visit @SecretStuffedCookies on Instagram and Facebook
Stony Brook University President Maurie McInnis, Stony Brook Medicine Vice President for Health System Clinical Programs and Strategy Dr. Margaret McGovern, 25,000 COVID-19 Vaccine recipient and Southampton resident Veronica Lang with her husband James, SBU mascot Wolfie, and Lisa Santeramo, assistant secretary for intergovernmental affairs. Photo above from Stony Brook Medicine
By Rita J. Egan and Julianne Mosher
With last week’s announcement that Suffolk County Community College in Selden will be the county’s third mass-vaccination site, in addition to the SCCC campuses in Brentwood and Riverhead, more people are itching to get their shots.
Many, who over the last several months expressed discontent with the vaccination process, were finally able to get their appointments.
Mary McCarthy, a 98-year-old Sound Beach resident, was anticipating her shot. Earlier this week, she got her first injection.
“It didn’t hurt a bit,” she said. “I feel fine. No aftershock or anything, and I hope after the shots we’ll get back to normal so I can go see my friends again.”
Mary McCarthy, of Sound Beach, received her vaccine at Walgreens in Medford. Photo from Kevin McCarthy
The senior said she is most excited to get back with her group, where in pre-COVID times, they’d play cards every week.
Her granddaughter helped McCarthy set up the appointment at Walgreens in Medford. Her second shot will be 28 days from the first round, closer to home in the Miller Place location.
She has advice for people who might be skeptical.
“Don’t be afraid,” she said. “It didn’t hurt a bit, and you’ll feel better knowing that you won’t get anything else.”
Three Village resident Stefanie Werner went to the vaccination site at Stony Brook University with her 81-year-old father. As a teacher, who also has an underlying heart condition, Werner was also able to get the vaccine.
“Even though booking our appointments was stressful and nerve-racking, the actual experience was anything but,” she said. “The site is extremely well organized, with all aspects, from check-in to our 15-minute post-observation, coordinated and easy to follow.”
Werner commended the individuals working at the SBU location “from the officer at the entrance, to the members of the National Guard guiding the outside check-in — out in the snow no less — to the RNs at the registration desk and the vaccinators who were friendly and comforting, all while plunging a needle swiftly and painlessly into our arms.”
“These people are the frontline to our return to normalcy,” she said. “They are deserving of recognition for their hard work and empathy as we continue our ascent out of this pandemic.”
Due to her health problems, Werner said she has been vigilant during the pandemic.
“I honestly don’t think I am going to change my ways much after the second dose, especially with all the new variants and the fact that my daughter is in school five days,” she said. “There are still too many unknowns, and I absolutely feel more people should be vaccinated before I return to some semblance of my old normal.It’s my hope that people maintain COVID protocols until our safety and security is more certain.”
Adam Fisher of Port Jefferson Station also headed to the university with his wife where they “deeply appreciate the perfect organization. Our thanks to the person or persons who organized this program and all the people who staffed the site. The people were helpful, cheerful and welcoming. The shot itself was painless.”
He said the entire process went well and was a smooth process.
“From start to finish we were guided through it,” he said. “The staff was helpful, cheerful, welcoming — they could not have been nicer. The vaccination itself was painless — the most pain-free injection I ever had.”
Fisher said he felt “absolutely fine,” with the exception of a mild headache that two Tylenol tablets fixed.
“I urge everyone to be vaccinated,” he said, adding that after their second shots, the couple are looking most forward to being together with their children and grandchildren again.
On Feb. 18, the university announced it reached 25,000 people with vaccinations within one month since the first vaccines were shipped for the general public.
“The fight against COVID-19 has been a difficult and long one, but SUNY campuses have remained steady each step of the way as the target has moved in beating back the pandemic,” said State University of New York Chancellor Jim Malatras in a statement. “I thank Stony Brook University President Maurie McInnis and her leadership team for making this effort a priority, and for ensuring that Long Islanders have the protection they need to end this pandemic.”
The new SCCC site will add about 8,000 more vaccines as of this week.
Paul Guttenberg, of Commack, is about to turn 52. As an EMT/driver for the Commack Volunteer Ambulance Corps, he was able to get the vaccine and has already received both doses at the Long Island Ducks stadium through the Northwell Health program.
“I had no side effects other than a sore arm and was tired for about one day,” he said, adding it was the same for both times.
Guttenberg, who is a sales rep in field sales, said he would like to return to a normal work schedule. He is also looking forward to traveling again and seeing his family, including his parents who live in Cincinnati, Ohio, “without fear of getting others sick with COVID.”
“What would make me happy is to see 80% or more of this country get vaccinated and put an end to this pandemic,” he said.
Tara Shobin, 45, of Smithtown, was able to get the vaccine because she’s a teacher. She received her first dose of the Moderna vaccine Feb. 6.
“I was lucky enough to have my cousin let me know that appointments were available at Nassau Community College which was only available to teachers,” Shobin said.
The Smithtown resident said when she showed up for her Feb. 6 appointment, she waited no more than five minutes.
“As I was waiting, I was holding back tears because I finally could see an end to this horrible virus,” she said.
After getting the shot, Shobin was told to go to the waiting room for 15 minutes so she could be monitored. She said she felt fine until the next day but her reaction was mild.
“I had a very sore arm and a slight headache,” she said.
Shobin said she’s looking forward to life returning to normal and doing things with her family, which includes her husband and two children, such as going on vacation, visiting museums and socializing.
“It crushes me to see my children’s life hindered so much,” she said. “I try to help people get appointments if I can. I can’t wait to see this horrible virus behind us. Let’s crush this virus!”
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