CLOSE
Times of Huntington-Northport

by -
0 2127
A view of one of the four cars involved in a car crash on Larkfield Road in East Northport. Photos by Steve Silverman.

Suffolk County Police Second Squad detectives are investigating a multi-vehicle crash that killed a woman and seriously injured a man in East Northport Dec. 26.

Officers said Karla Kovach, 52, was driving a 2008 Kia northbound on Larkfield Road, near 5th Avenue, when her vehicle hit a 2008 Nissan that was slowing in traffic at 9:50 p.m. The Nissan, driven by Darin Costello, 37, hit the side of Mario’s Pizza, on Larkfield Road. After striking the Nissan, the Kia spun into the rear of a 2013 Mercedes, driven by Elias Francois, 46, which forced the Mercedes into the rear of a 2011 Cadillac, which was stopped on Larkfield Road.

A view of one of the four cars involved in a car crash on Larkfield Road in East Northport. Photos by Steve Silverman.

East Northport firefighters used heavy rescue extrication tools to remove the victims from two of the cars. East Northport Fire Department was on the scene with three trucks, three ambulances and fire police, under the command of Chief Wayne Kaifler Jr. and Assistant Chief Dan Heffernan and Dan Flanagan. The Greenlawn Fire Department and Commack Volunteer Ambulance Corps assisted with two additional ambulances, while the Northport and Kings Park fire departments provided standby coverage at East Northport fire headquarters.

Kovach, of East Northport, was transported to Huntington Hospital where she was pronounced dead. Costello, of Northport, was transported to Southside Hospital in Bay Shore with serious injuries. François, of East Northport, and her two child passengers were transported to Huntington Hospital with minor injuries. The driver of the Cadillac, Anthony Nullet, 25, of East Northport, and his passenger were not injured. Both Commack Volunteer Ambulance Corps. and East Northport Fire Department responded and transported the victims to hospitals.

The Kia was impounded for a safety inspection.

The investigation is continuing. Anyone with information is asked to call Second Squad detectives at 631-854-8252.

by -
0 384
Dr. Meryl Ain, center, with her husband Stewart, right, and Maryann Stech, whose story is included in Ain’s book. Photo from Bill Corbett

CELEBRATING LIFE:  Dr. Meryl Ain of Commack, known as “The Comfort Coach,” recently discussed the challenges that families with lost loved ones face during the holiday season while offering empowering strategies for transforming grief into positive and comforting acts during a book launch for her newly released book, “My Living Memories Project Journal,” at Book Revue in Huntington on Nov. 29.

by -
0 251
‘Clay + Wood’ by Russell Pulick received an Award of Excellence. Photo by Joseph Peragallo

The Art League of Long Island recently announced the winners of the second part of their 61st Annual Members’ Exhibition showing through January 8. Exhibition juror John Fink, Professor Emeritus, Nassau Community College selected 8 works of art out of 126 pieces on display in the League’s Jeanie Tengelsen Gallery. Fink will discuss his selections at a gallery talk on Wednesday, Jan. 4, at 7 p.m.

Awards of Excellence were given to Lawrence Agnello for his “St. Francis Power Figure” (mixed media/sculpture), Vicki Field for “It Snowed” (watercolor) and Russell Pulick for his “Clay + Wood” piece.

Honorable Mentions were awarded to Alexander Adell for his “Scallop Trawler” (oil on linen), Alex Atkinson for “Escape” (etching), Leslie Barnett: for “Summer Retreat” (oil), Linda Hartman for “Ocean Breeze” (wood and fiber/mixed media) and Carol Schanke for “Dove” (mixed media).

The Art League of Long Island is located at 107 East Deer Park Road in Dix Hills. For more information, visit www.artleagueli.org or call 631-462-5400.

by -
0 189
Suffolk County Executive Steve Bellone and other county officials warn residents of winter weather dangers for people, homes and pets. Photo from Bellone’s office

It’s often called the most wonderful time of the year, but whoever coined that phrase must have been a fan of freezing temperatures. With a mild fall finally giving way to traditional winter weather over the past week, Suffolk County Executive Steve Bellone (D) wants residents to make sure they protect themselves, their homes, their loved ones and their pets from the dangers presented by the harsh conditions.

“Although no amount of preparations can prepare us for a natural disaster, we have taken the necessary steps to ensure that Suffolk County is prepared to handle routine inclement weather conditions,” Bellone said at a press conference Dec. 15, where he was joined by Suffolk County Police Commissioner Tim Sini and other county officials. “We have been extremely fortunate this winter, but looking at forecasts, it appears our luck is running out. Now is the time for our residents to make sure they take the necessary precautions to protect themselves.”

County service centers

• Riverhead Center

893 E. Main Street

Riverhead, New York 11901-2542

Telephone: 631-852-3500

• Coram Center

80 Middle Country Road

Coram, New York 11727

Telephone: 631-854-2300

• Smithtown Center

200 Wireless Boulevard

Hauppauge, New York 11788

Telephone: 631-853-8714

• South West Center

2 South 2nd Street

Deer Park, New York 11729

Telephone: 631-854-6600

Bellone suggested several precautions Suffolk County residents should take to ensure safety and avoid inconveniences during the winter months, including running water to prevent pipes from freezing; keeping portable heaters on flat surfaces and away from flammable objects; driving with caution even without the presence of precipitation; checking on loved ones, especially the elderly; watching for some of the signs of hypothermia, like confusion, memory loss, drowsiness, exhaustion and slurred speech; keeping pets indoors; and disconnecting hoses from exterior lines.

Bellone has partnered with the Long Island Coalition for the Homeless to collect new or gently used winter jackets for those in need. Coats can be donated at county facilities across Suffolk.

Residents can contact the county’s Temporary Housing Assistance Unit at 631-854-9547 or the Department of Social Services Home Energy Assistance Program at 631-854-9100 in the event they run out of fuel to heat their home or require emergency burner repair.

The county executive also detailed options for the homeless during times when temperatures can plummet to the point of presenting deadly consequences. Sheltering assistance is available at Suffolk County service centers located in Deer Park, Coram, Hauppauge and Riverhead, and the county also implemented a Safe Beds Program to provide residents in need with warm shelter during the winter. More information about these programs can be found on the county’s website at www.suffolkcountyny.gov.

“Nobody should be left out in this dangerously cold spell,” Bellone said.

by -
0 358
Huntington middle school students smile with math teachers Christine Lofaro, far left, and Susan Llanes, far right. Photo by Kevin Redding

Huntington students taught the community a thing or two about computer science and coding at a board of education meeting Dec. 12.

Sixth-grader Sarah Crowin, along with fifth-graders Samantha McGloin, Ben Edgar McNerney and Uma Shtrom, showed those in attendance how they were able to make “math move” and come to life in creating their own mazes and games.

They explained how this new passion has helped them in other areas.

McGloin, a student at Jack Abrams STEM Magnet School, said coding helped her become a better problem solver.

“When you’re coding, it’s all trial and error,” she said at the meeting. “If something doesn’t work, there’s no pop-up explaining what to do … you have to know your lines of code and what you wrote to see what you did wrong and learn from it. It helps with perseverance because you have to work on something and there’s no such thing as overnight success.”

She said coding has taught her to put all of her effort into something — otherwise it won’t work out the way you want it to.

Shtrom, also a student at Jack Abrams, said coding changed the way she thinks.

“When I see video games like Minecraft or Temple Run, I think about the coding conditions behind the game,” she said. “Coding had also helped me to better understand math concepts … like grid coordinates … x and y coordinates … and angles.”

Back in October, students at Woodhull Intermediate School and the STEM Magnet School started using the platform called kidOYO, or Kid On Your Own, in the classroom to create coding scripts and explore learning outcomes in the fields of computer science, engineering and entrepreneurship education.

This program, which Huntington has implemented in grades kindergarten through eighth, encourages students to demonstrate knowledge and problem solving skills through various programming tools.

Students of all ages within the district are able to access kidOYO from home as well as school, and so far they said they’ve been excited to learn and utilize this new language of code.

“It’s wonderful to see students engaged in this,” Christine Lofaro, a Huntington Response to Intervention math teacher, and one of the facilitators of the program said.

She said even though not all the students participating in the program are necessarily heavy academic students in terms of math and science, they love to do this and it’s never a chore to get them involved.

“I was in a kindergarten class on Friday and was thinking, “How am I going to do this with kindergarten students?” she said. “They were totally in it, totally in the game and excited, right from the get go.”

She and fellow Huntington RTI math teacher Susan Llanes had the opportunity to attend the “kidOYO Summer Experience” at Stony Brook University for three days in July and while there, they trained alongside computer science instructors and learned a lot about the benefits of the program, especially for young students.

They immediately brainstormed how they were going to bring this back to their school.

Lofaro and Llanes emailed principals and the district’s Director of Elementary Mathematics Marybeth Robinette about how to roll this out as soon as school was back in session in the fall.

Robinette said every 21st century student should have a chance to learn about algorithms, how to make an app, and learn how the internet works, just as they should know what photosynthesis and H2O are.

“Right now, there’s no expectation in our schools that students should even have a basic understanding of these concepts, even though they’re driving a large part of our society,” said Robinette.

The director of elementary mathematics said computer science is foundational and affects every field in residents’ lives. Whether it’s navigation systems on the road or computing breakthroughs in health care, every single day ,the trend of coding is growing in every single industry.

She explained that right now computing jobs are the number one source of new wages in the U.S.

“There are more than 500,000 job openings [in this field], but we’re not graduating kids from college with computer science degrees,” Robinette said. “One of the reasons is that kids don’t really know how computers work and think it’s really difficult and scary. But through kidOYO … we’re showing that all kids can participate in this.”

by -
0 591

SBU program for retirees is unique on Long Island

File Photo

A substantial gift from the Osher Lifelong Learning Institute will extend Stony Brook University’s ability to offer opportunities to individuals who are semi-retired or retired.

Originally founded at the university as The Round Table, the program was renamed after receiving an initial grant from the Osher Foundation in June 2007.

A program within the School of Professional Development, directed by Wayne Holo, OLLI is open to mature adults interested in expanding their intellectual horizons in a university setting. Volunteers — very often experts in the subjects they teach — teach peer-taught sessions, which carry no credits or prerequisites. Workshops are structured to offer an informal exchange of ideas among participants.

Osher Foundation President Mary Bitterman found the Stony Brook OLLI’s progress to be inspiring.

“Since making [the] initial grant, we have been impressed by [the program’s] exceptional progress,” she said. “We applaud the collective effort and achievement of its excellent staff and its dynamic community of intellectually vigorous members. We also salute the university’s leadership for its steadfast support of the Osher Institute and for embracing the concept that education is a lifelong pursuit that has the power to forge and enhance our connection to one another and to a larger world.”

Retired schoolteacher Bruce Stasiuk, of Setauket, is one of the more popular workshop leaders in the program and his philosophy may indicate why.

“The ingenious OLLI program is like going back to school without the pressures, or papers,” he said. “Here, required courses and tests went the way of Clearasil. OLLI is all about pursuing interests, keeping active, and continuing personal growth. It’s the purest form of education — it’s fun.”

Martin and Joyce Rubenstein of Port Jefferson Station would agree. Marty Rubenstein has been a participant for nearly two decades; Joyce Rubenstein almost as long. Both have taken classes, and Marty Rubenstein has taught quite a few, ranging from physics for poets to classes in his special passion, music appreciation, including history of the big band era and history of rock and roll.

“I started soon after retirement, about 1998,” Marty Rubenstein said. “It’s a well-run program and a good vehicle for people who are retired.” He added that one’s social network disappears when you no longer see the colleagues and friends you worked with daily.

It was still The Round Table, comprised of 300 members when Rubenstein joined, and he has watched the organization grow. He said he is hoping that the new funding will make it possible to improve the model, now that there are more than 1,000 members.

Joyce Rubenstein, a participant since 2000, says she likes the variety of classes offered.

“It’s nice because I don’t have to take academic courses unless I want to. You go in and you laugh. I enjoy it. I’ve made a lot of new friends,” she said, adding, “There are some extremely smart people there. You learn a lot just by listening.”

The Rubensteins shared their OLLI experiences with Bonnie and Norm Samuels of Setauket, who take classes, too.

“It’s great OLLI has received this endowment because the program has grown so much and so many people are now involved,” Bonnie Samuels said.

Norm Samuels is a newbie, taking classes for the first time this fall. He sad he is finding his DNA class stimulating.

“It opens your mind up to more in-depth examination of ideas,“ he said. “What I’ve learned about future uses of DNA — I think it’s going to shake us to our foundations! Being on campus, seeing the young people gives me vicarious pleasure. What I’d like to see is more integration between the young ones and us elders.”

Bonnie Samuels said opportunities of that sort do come up. OLLI members were recruited this semester to be audience members for a Talking Science class for undergraduate students. The goal was to listen and give feedback to young scientists to help them become clearer communicators when addressing nonscientists.

OLLI membership is open for an annual fee to all retired and semiretired individuals. The program currently offers more than 100 workshops per semester, and a variety of day trips. Avenues for participation include workshops, lectures, special events, committees and social activities. OLLI classes include topics in history, creative arts, science, literature and computer skills; fall classes included intermediate Latin, history of England, quantum weirdness, poetry out loud, senior legal matters and a virtual investing club.

Osher Lifelong Learning Institutes operate on the campuses of 119 institutions of higher education throughout the nation. Stony Brook’s OLLI program is the only such program on Long Island.

For more information, go to the Stony Brook University Osher Lifelong Learning Institute website or call 631-632-7063.

by -
0 385
Northport-East Northport Superintendent Robert Banzer. Photo by Victoria Espinoza

Northport-East Northport school board members approved an almost $40 million bond referendum to improve school facilities and classroom space, infrastructure and athletic facilities during a Dec. 14 meeting.

The bond includes a $2 million plan for a new stadium and track at the high school, as well as a new turf field and the creation of security vestibules at every school in the district.

All schools in the districts will undergo improvements through the bond, with projects like bathroom reconstructions, classroom improvements, sink and countertop replacements, and sidewalk and paving improvements. Northport and East Northport middle schools athletic fields will also receive upgrades including replacing of the tracks, and improving of fields. The most costly improvements are set for Northport High School, where more than $16 million will be spent on athletic upgrades, science lab reconstruction and more.

At the meeting residents expressed concern with the creation of turf fields, citing health issues with the turf infill.

“I believe the board wants to and will get input and discussions on the type of fill. We want the safest choice of course for our students.” —Andrew Rapiejko

“Has there been any considerations for the potential health risks with turf burns, body fluids on the field, and joint injury in young athletes?” Tom Fischer, an East Northport resident asked at the meeting. “There is also an issue of artificial turf fields heating up substantially, and September this year was beastly hot. I really can’t imagine high school football players fully clad in that field-generated heat. That would certainly increase the risk of heat exhaustion.”

Trustee Regina Pisacani, who headed the Athletic Facilities Citizens Advisory Committee, the group which surveyed the school’s athletic fields and made suggestions for upgrades, said there were many debates on turf.

“The committee had a lot of different turf companies come in and we had a couple physical therapists who had concerns about the turf,” she said. “You can find articles for both sides of the coin. You can find articles that say there are significant injuries on turf and natural grass.”

Paul Klimuszko, director of physical education, athletics and health at Northport said students are not allowed to play if it’s too hot outside. Section XI athletics forbids schools from allowing players outside once it reaches 95 on the heat index.

“Once Section XI calls a heat advisory, there’s not playing on any of the fields,” he said. “You know I’ve never seen a heat advisory that says not on the turf but still on the grass. Once it gets to a certain temperature it’s no activities.”

When Northport resident Carl Lick asked for a definite plan from the board on the type of turf the district plans on using, he added, “Asbestos was safe until it wasn’t safe. Smoking was safe until it wasn’t safe. I think we have to err on the side of safety.”

Board President Andrew Rapiejko said the turf fields are a small amount of the whole bond referendum, and the board doesn’t plan on going into the nitty-gritty details of every part of the bond at this point.

“So the details of exactly which fill we are going to use, we’re not going to decide right away because I think there is a lot to that,” he said. “What the board at this point needs to look at is the cost, when it comes time for the decision of what kind of infill we will use. I believe the board wants to and will get input and discussions on the type of fill. We want the safest choice of course for our students.”

The bond had been discussed for several months leading up to last week’s vote, and input was taken from residents, special committees, board members, administrators and more. The scope of work was approved unanimously, and the bond will go to a community vote in February 2017.

by -
0 420
Tom Manuel. Photo from The Jazz Loft

By Erika Riley

New Year’s Eve is the holiday to close out the season, and there is no better way to celebrate Dec. 31 than to do something fun for the night. Whether you’re in the mood for music, comedy or to simply see a movie before you head out for the night, the North Shore offers several great ways to spend the evening.

Huntington

Huntington’s Cinema Arts Centre will screen ‘Lion’ starring Dev Patel on New Year’s Eve

The Cinema Arts Centre, 423 Park Ave., Huntington will be hosting a celebration of film on New Year’s Eve. There will be food, drinks, films and friends! First, attendees will have their pick of three films to view before the ball drops including “Jackie” starring Natalie Portman (8:15 p.m.), “Lion” starring Dev Patel (8:30 p.m.) and a third movie that is yet to be announced. After the movie screenings, guests can join the party in the Sky Room Cafe for some delicious food, cake and champagne toasts while viewing the ball dropping in Times Square on a television in the Cafe. Tickets are $40 per person, $35 members, and may be purchased online at www.cinemaartscentre.org or via phone at 631-423-FILM.

Port Jefferson

Paul Anthony will bring his comedy act to Theatre Three on New Year’s Eve

This year, Theatre Three, located at 412 Main Street in Port Jefferson will be offering a comedy show titled “New Year’s Laughin’ Eve” at two different times, featuring some of the biggest names in comedy. The “early bird” show will begin at 6 p.m. and run until 7:30 p.m., and the later show will start at 8 p.m. and end by 9:30 p.m., giving attendees plenty of time to take in a New Year’s party and watch the ball drop after the show. Douglas Quattrock, director of development and group sales and special events coordinator, says that the event is a great alternative for those who don’t want to go out to a bar but still want to go do something. “It’s a great way to kick off the new year and end the holiday season,” Quattrock said. “There’s no better medicine than laughter.”

There will be three comedians at the show, the first being Paul Anthony from Massapequa. Anthony is the host of the Long Island Comedy Festival and the host of the new 50+ Comedy Tour, a group of comedians who are targeting their comedy to a slightly older generation. The second guest is Rich Walker, who has been named the Best Comedian on Long Island two years in a row, has headlined in Las Vegas, and has been featured by the New York Times and the third comedian is Keith Anthony, who has been featured on Showtime, A&E and Comedy Central, and has also headlined his own shows. Quattrock said that while the comedy isn’t for kids, it’s also not brute or offensive. Tickets for the shows are $49 per person at the door, $45 in advance at www.theatrethree.com or by calling 631-928-9100.

Smithtown

The Smithtown Center for the Performing Arts, 2 E. Main St., Smithtown will present a New Year’s Eve comedy show titled “Loads of Laughs,” featuring six headlining comics. Of the six comics, Ken Washington of the center said, “The comedians are always top of the line ‘headlining’ comics who have been seen on a variety of different media outlets as well as comedy clubs throughout the area.” Eddie Clark, former cop and current full-time comic, will be in attendance, as well as seasoned comedians Marvin Bell and Matt Burke. Guests can also expect to see Peyton Clarkson, winner of the New York City Laugh-Off, Joe Currie, a member of several bands as well as a comic, and Warren Holstein, club headliner and occasional contributor to SNL’s “Weekend Update.” Doors open at 8:30 p.m. and the show starts at 10 p.m. Tickets are $180 per couple or $90 per person (there is a $10 discount for members) and include a buffet of Italian hors d’oeuvres and light fare as well as an open bar of wine and beer. Dessert will be served during intermission and a champagne toast will be made to ring in the New Year. To order, call 631-724-3700. Note: Show contains adult language.

Stony Brook

The Jazz Loft, 275 Christian Avenue in Stony Brook, will be hosting a New Year’s Eve Celebration featuring jazz musician Tom Manuel and the Syncopated Seven from 7:30 to 12:30 p.m. The performance will also showcase guest artist Melanie Marod, who is a modern jazz vocalist who performs regularly around popular clubs in New York City. “What I’m most excited about is just having a wonderful group of people together in such a classy exciting place with such great music, I feel like when you put together great food and great people and great music it’s a guaranteed home-run evening,” said Manuel , who is also the curator and director of the Jazz Loft. Tickets are $150 per person, which includes a buffet dinner catered by the Three Village Inn, cocktail hour and a champagne toast at midnight. To order, call 631-751-1895 or visit www.thejazzloft.org.

by -
0 250
‘Brooklyn Walls’ by Anahi DeCanio won Best in Show. Photo from HAC

Creating without limits

The Huntington Arts Council held an opening reception for its latest exhibition, The Versatility of Street Art, at its Main Street Gallery, 213 Main St., Huntington on Friday, Dec. 9. Twenty-six artists including Virginia Bushart, Anahi DeCanio, Jonathan Duci, Terry Finch, Jim Finlayson, Nicole Franz, Tim Gowan, Bill Grabowski, Geraldine Hoffman, Stefanie Kane, Jade “MUMBOT” Kuei, Jennifer Lau, Theo Lau, Jude Lobasso, Sharon Lobo, Jared Long, Celeste Mauro, Kasmira Mohanty, Stephen Palladino, Reme 821, Rodney Rodriguez, David Rogers, Jennie Sjostrom, Jeff Slack, Christina Stow and Stephen Wyler were accepted into the show, which was judged by Phetus, Long Island’s very own graffiti/street artist.

‘Fish’ by Jared Long received an Honorable Mention. Photo from HAC

“Phetus” began his rebellious legacy in 1988 by scrawling his infamous “Phat Phace” logo across the peninsula and beyond. From an original scribe on the wall, Phetus has built an eclectic portfolio of creativity spanning over 2 decades. Starting with a simple tag on the wall to creating an iphone app which was downloaded by over 15 million users, Phetus proves that there are no creative boundaries. Phetus is one of the artists who created the beautiful, expressive street art mural on the back of our building. This highly recognized mural has become a popular backdrop for members of the community, of all ages, to come and take photos.

‘Jackson Heights Queens’ by Sharon Lobo received an Honorable Mention. Photo from HAC

“Being raised in such a diverse community as Huntington, Long Island, It only made sense to showcase the versatility within the current trend of “Street Art”. As an artist rooted in the graffiti art community for the past 30 yrs, I have experienced and witnessed the evolution of a rebellious illegal art form, transform into an accepted form of expression amongst todays popular culture. It is a privilege and honor to have had the opportunity from the Huntington Arts Council to observe and review the many outstanding submissions from all of the artists that participated. “The Versatility Of Street Art” showcase couldn’t be a more perfect reflection of the world we live in today, as for each person has their own identity to express in their own skillful way. Anything goes. . .the streets are watching,” stated Juror Phetus.

Anahi DeCanio won Best in Show for her abstract painting titled “Brooklyn Walls.” Honorable mentions were awarded to Sharon Lobo for “Jackson Heights Queens,” “Fish” by Jared Long and “Paparazzi” by Stephen Palladino.

‘Paparazzi’ by Stephen Palladino (top image) received an Honorable Mention

“The “Versatility of Street Art Show” is a great example of how we continue to work toward providing opportunities for all types of artists; both from a demographic and creative standpoint. The call to artists resulted in submissions from a diverse list of artists with one submitting from as far away as Sweden. The entries reflect a broad interpretation of the genre and will present an exciting vibrant exhibition,”  said Executive Director Marc Courtade.

The exhibit runs through Jan. 7. For gallery hours, please call 631-271-8423.

by -
0 347
A young girl picks out Christmas gifts at Target in Commack Dec. 14. Photo from Mallory Kerley

By Victoria Espinoza

For a few families struggling to make ends meet this Christmas, local organizations got together to ensure there would be presents under the tree.

United Way of Long Island, a nonprofit based in Deer Park, and Make it Count Foundation, a nonprofit based in West Islip, worked together to donate funds so that children and their families were able to search through Target in Commack and choose any gifts they wanted for Christmas this year. They were also given holiday treats as they shopped. Kids ran through the aisles of Target Dec. 14, browsing the Barbie dolls, Nerf guns, and other toys they could take home to make the holiday special.

“Helping children in need is priceless,” Jon Reese, president of the Make It Count Foundation said in an email. “I feel it is not only our responsibility, it is an honor. Especially this time of year, when we celebrate life and hope.”

Reese said Make It Count has worked with United Way of Long Island in the past on home renovations, health and community programs, and backpacks filled with school supplies.

A young boy picks out Christmas gifts at Target in Commack Dec. 14. Photo from Mallory Kerley

“We feel that when the Make It Count Foundation and the United Way of Long Island partner, we are able to leverage each other’s resources and make a greater impact,” he said.

According to Theresa Regnante, president and CEO of United Way of Long Island, this is the second year the two nonprofits have joined together to organize the event.

“We wanted these kids to be able to celebrate the holidays, and have the joy of opening gifts that they wanted,” she said in an email. “Jon Reese has been a fantastic partner in other areas of our mission, and coming together to help kids during the holiday season was a perfect fit. We have the connections to the partner agencies who work with families across Long Island, and they had the funds to donate to help them afford the gifts. It was an easy to decision to make to put this event together.”

Families had to be nominated to partake in the event, and Regnante said other local nonprofits helped in the selection process.

“We connected with Long Island Head Start, United Veterans Beacon House, and Family Service League, who are all partner agencies of ours, and asked them to nominate families who could use some extra holiday cheer to take part in the shopping spree, as well as families who are part of our VetsBuild and YouthBuild programs,” she said. “Target generously let us utilize their break room space and provided treats to the children before giving them a tour of the toy department. It was a fabulous effort all around.”

Regnante shared what makes the event special to her.

A young girl picks out Christmas gifts at Target in Commack Dec. 14. Photo from Mallory Kerley

“The best part of an event like this is seeing the smiles on the children’s faces as they pick up that toy they’ve been asking for for months, and knowing that they can take it home that night,” she said. “You have to remember, most of these children have only the basic necessities and rarely do they have the opportunity to get things that bring them true joy. Their families are working hard to give them the best life possible, and this event allows those parents and guardians to brighten the holiday season just a bit more. The holiday season is supposed to be filled with happiness, but it isn’t that way for those who are struggling.”

She said she watched a mother and her son go through the check-out line, and as they were walking out the door, he yelled out, “I feel like Christmas is here early!” as if he couldn’t believe he was actually allowed to leave the store with his new toys.

“Watching this little boy literally skip out the door warmed my heart,” she said.

Prev1...432433434...533Next Page 433 of 533
TBR News Media is your local news and entertainment website.
We provide you with the latest breaking news and information for your community.
Contact us: [email protected]

Most Viewed

©