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Village Times Herald

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METRO photo

By Daniel Dunaief

Daniel Dunaief

Shhh, don’t tell anyone, but I just received a copy of the draft of the debate rules that were sent to the two older gentlemen who would like to be president from 2024 to 2028.

Now, no one was supposed to see these, but my friend’s nephew’s babysitter’s neighbor happened to be taking out his recycling and he noticed a piece of paper with official presidential letter head on it. I’m going to share a few ideas that almost made it into the debate.

First, the two candidates considered the possibility of a brief nap. Each of them would have had a pillow and a small bed, just off stage, where they could recover and restore their vim and vigor.

Second, they were considering whether to allow a translator for each of them. That way, when one of them misspeaks and uses the wrong name or mispronounces a word, a country, a language or a religion, the translator could auto correct for the moment.

Third, they each considered bringing a Pinocchio onstage. When the other person spoke, the nonspeaking candidate could demonstrate the perceived inaccuracy of the other person’s comments by extending the nose of their puppet. 

Fourth, they each considered at least 30 seconds when they could appeal directly and exclusively to their donors, explaining why they needed more money and how they would best use it.

Fifth, they were each given the opportunity to ignore one question openly and ask themselves a better one that they themselves could then answer.

Sixth, they wanted the chance to stump the other with their spectacular knowledge of the world. Each person could ask the other to spell the name of a particular country and then demonstrate their world prowess by pointing to that country on an unlabeled map.

Seventh, they could each choose a way to demonstrate their intellectual prowess by choosing from the following list: name as many digits of pi as possible, name the former presidents in order, share the names of some important Supreme Court decisions, or name as many national parks as they could.

Eighth, each candidate would have the opportunity, in a minute or less, to share a lesson they learned in the classroom that they believe has come in particularly handy in their lives.

Ninth, each candidate would have to name at least five people who aren’t relatives and who are alive who they think might be great presidents one day.

Tenth, before they offered their own positions, each president would have a chance to do their best impersonation of the other man. For 90 seconds, each of them could pretend to be the candidate for the rival party.

Eleventh, in the spirit of collaboration and cooperation, each one had to say something genuinely supportive and nice about the other person, and it couldn’t be about the person’s family.

Twelfth, each participant would need to spend at least 30 seconds sharing his thoughts on RFK Jr.’s candidacy.

Thirteenth, each candidate would have to indicate how he would be president for the entire United States and not just his constituency. Each candidate would be required to speak directly to the supporters of the other candidate, suggesting why people who have made up their minds should change their vote.

Fourteenth, both candidates would need to discuss something other than his rival as the greatest threat to the future of the United States.

Fifteenth, each candidate should discuss why, despite their frustration with the press that they think favors the other side, they still support the First Amendment. They would also need to share their views on the value of a free press, emphasizing in particular its ability to hold politicians accountable.

Sixteenth, the winner of the debate, as determined by an independent panel of disinterested observers, would circle the stage while sharing some dance moves of his choice.

Seventeenth, regardless of the outcome of the debate, the candidates agree to shake each other’s hands, to smile and to wish their competitor, their competitor’s family, and the country well.

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The sculpture of Borghese's Itala in Kirov, Russia. Photo courtesy of Wikipedia

By Leah S. Dunaief

Leah Dunaief,
Publisher

This month marks an anniversary of the Peking to Paris Road Race of 1907. Now there is a recent book to recount the adventure, “The Race to the Future,” by Kassia St. Clair. Five automobiles, so newly invented that people weren’t sure what to call them, turned out for the 9000-mile trip over unpaved deserts and mountains, rivers and forests to win the acclaim, and a magnum of Mumm champagne, that would go to the first person to reach the finish line.

More than a race, it was really a challenge to promote the use of motor cars. The Paris newspaper. “Le Matin,” on January 31, 1907 wrote the following:

“What needs to be proved today is that as long as man has a car, he can do anything and go anywhere. Is there anyone who will undertake to travel this summer from Paris to Peking by automobile?”

The race actually started in the other direction, from the French embassy in Peking (now Beijing) on June 10th and came down to between two very different men, ending on August 10th.

The winner was the car carrying the imperious Italian Prince Scipione Borghese, Ettore Guizzardi, who apparently did most of the driving, and journalist Luigi Barzini, who in 1908 wrote a book about the trip, “Peking to Paris.” Frenchman Charles Godard was the raffish driver of the second car, and he had no money, begged for petrol, borrowed the Dutch Spyker for the trip, and was arrested for fraud near the end of the race. One of the other cars, the three-wheel Contal cyclecar, bccame bogged down. Godard and the journalist with him ran out of fuel in the Gobi desert and almost died. Borghese’s personal car, The Itala, was technically superior to the others.

Gasoline and provisions were carried ahead by camel and horseback, and newspapers arranged for a reporter in each car to track the progress and send back articles. Because the race followed a telegraph route, stories could be posted regularly from the stations to Paris. 

Some of the areas in Asia were so remote that people were unfamiliar with automobiles, only using horses to reach them. And St. Clair, in the book, recounts episodes like the search in the Urals for carpenters to repair the cars’ smashed wooden wheels. The direction of the book, however, is always forward, as can be guessed from the title. The decadent empires of Russia and China that the racers were traversing were fading but the adventure of the remote villages and primitive Siberian settlements must have been fantastic experiences.

The race has stimulated the imagination of many over the century, and there have been reenactments during that time. In 1908 The Great Auto Race, which went from New York west (by sea for part of the way) to Paris, tried to capture the excitement of that first race. When Russia became the USSR after the 1917 Revolution, that route was barred; only when the Soviet Union dissolved in the 1990, were racers allowed back.

Other routes for similar car races include the 1997 “Second Peking to Paris Motor Challenge” that went through Tibet, India, Pakistan, Iran, Turkey, Greece and Italy, a more southerly trail. And there have been others through the years.

For me, the excitement of the open road is irresistible, whether it is intercontinental or merely out east to the Hamptons. The unknown that lies beyond the next bend promises, if not rugged terrain, at least new sights, sounds and contacts. It’s not necessarily a race that beckons, only the adventure of the different and unexpected. 

For me, the challenge is not the wild terrain but merely navigating the traffic. As the houses drop away and the farms and vineyards come into view, I can feel myself physically relax and breathe in the smells of flowering fields and sod farms.

I can only imagine the thrill of crossing unchartered lands.

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Josh Wege (with baseball hat) a United States Marine, retired Lance Corporal and Brian Gentilotti, United States Airforce. Photo courtesy St. Charles Hospital

By Christopher Schulz

Three members of the USA Patriots softball team — formerly known as the Wounded Warrior Amputee Softball Team — visited patients at the St. Charles Hospital in Port Jefferson Friday morning, June 14. The group initially met in the hospital’s recreational center before proceeding to meet the patients.

The softball players, Josh Wege, Jeffrey Hackett and Brian Gentilotti, shared their stories with the approximately 30 staff members and 10 patients. 

Wege said he lost both his legs fighting in Afghanistan as a Marine in 2009. The military vehicle he was riding in hit a bomb that “turned into a landmine” which “traumatically amputated [his] right leg” and mangled his left leg. He now has two prosthetics in place of his lower legs.

Despite his traumatic injury, Wege keeps pushing forward. 

“The biggest motivator I would say is to get my life back,” he said. “There are some things that you feel like are just taken away from you”. He later added that he “felt broken” inside that he did not have the same agility and speed he once had as a star athlete. 

“You don’t want to feel broken so you start chasing the life that you had,” he said. 

Hackett, on the other hand, pushes forward every day for his family. After losing his left leg, “I still wanted to stay in the Army so that pushed me to get back to a normal life,” he said. 

In addition, Hackett expressed his respect toward the patients. “They all have their own story. It’s all about making goals and taking that step further,” he said. 

One such patient, Shawn Coyle, does not need prosthetics but is in need of a wheelchair at all times. He has avascular necrosis affecting both hips. Coyle says he was diagnosed with the condition six months ago but has only been in the hospital for a couple weeks now.

He has already had surgery on one of his hips. The surgery for his other hip will happen in a few months. When asked about how he felt about the softball players coming, he jokingly responded that he wanted to play with them. 

“I like softball,” Coyle simply stated. He also found it “inspiring” to see them and would love to play again his own sports — basketball and baseball — someday. “It’s a process but you’ve got to just keep working at it,” he said. “I feel like they’re like regular people,” referring to the players. 

Both Wege and Hackett expressed their desire to come back to St. Charles Hospital or any other hospital to visit and support people who are in the same position they were once in. 

“You either stay where you’re at or you just keep inching forward every day and try to get your life back. We like to give that message to people and even talk to kids in schools because they’re curious and they have never met a wounded warrior before, [especially] at the state that we’re at,” Wege said. 

“This is stuff we like to do,” Hackett agreed. 

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Pixabay photo

By Serena Carpino

Father’s Day is always a special time of the year. Families go out for breakfast at Sweet Mama’s, rent kayaks in the Stony Brook Harbor, play a round of golf at St George’s in Setauket, or continue their own fun traditions. 

As Father’s Day approaches, TBR asked local personalities, “What does Father’s Day mean to you? How do you celebrate Father’s Day? What’s the best present you’ve given your father over the years?”

— Photos by Serena Carpino

Eric Rectanus, Stony Brook 

Father’s Day is “a way of honoring the person who took care of you. It’s the person who put a roof over your head, made sure you had food in your belly, loved you and cared for you no matter what.” Rectanus, who lost his father last year, said. “Seeing Father’s Day now compared to when I had my dad, I see really what Father’s Day means because I don’t have him anymore. It’s just that person who gives you unconditional love, no matter what you do in life.” 

Mario Solis, Stony Brook 

“For me, it’s just a time that [my family] can get together, especially with my dad. We don’t have that close of a relationship, so that’s really the only time that I get to spend time with him.” 

Solis said that he and his family celebrate Father’s Day with food. “We eat — eat and just spend time together. It’s nothing special but it means a lot to us.” Solis added that the best gift he has given his father was a tool set. 

Solis declined for his picture to be taken. 

Tatjana Trajkovic, East Setauket

 “Father’s Day is a day to celebrate your dad because a lot of us who have dads sometimes take them for granted and don’t realize that some people aren’t as fortunate as us. So, it’s a day to appreciate these special people,” Trajkovic said.

The family celebrates her father and sister as a “two-for-one special” since her sister’s birthday is the same day. “Usually, we get a cake and split it between them,” she said.

 Trajkovic will be attending college in the fall and hopes to give her father a meaningful present before she leaves. She explained, “On TikTok there’s a special Father’s Day present that’s trending where you have your dad write down all of his important memories and the best stories of his life. I want him to write all of these in a notebook so that I can carry them to college. That’ll probably be the best gift I’ll ever give him, but I suppose it’ll be a gift for me too.”

Christian McClain, Shoreham

Christian McClain, a student at Shoreham-Wading River High School, said that, to him, “Father’s Day means celebrating and appreciating the love, guidance and support my father has given me throughout my life.”

On Father’s Day, McClain always has baseball tournaments. So, to celebrate his father, he wears light-blue socks and a light-blue wristband. In addition, McClain said that the best gift he ever gave his father “was when my family surprised him with a trip to Italy over the summer.”

Karen Gilmore, Stony Brook 

For Father’s Day, Gilmore said that her “daughter gets a present and gives it to him. We usually take him out to dinner or something like that … we like to go to Ragazzi [Italian Kitchen & Bar, in Nesconset].”

This year, Gilmore’s daughter made her dad a nice picture with watercolor in a recent art class. Gilmore said, “She’s really proud that she’s going to give it to him. [It’s important because] it’s something personalized, something that she made, more than just buying something. It’s something that means something from the heart.”

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Smart911

In times of crisis, the strength of a community is tested. 

Whether facing natural disasters, public health emergencies or unexpected incidents like the recent water main break in East Setauket, the importance of communitywide communication cannot be overstated. The key to navigating these challenges lies in emergency preparedness, the effective use of technology and the dissemination of timely information through mobile apps and other digital platforms as well as keeping in touch with neighbors and family members.

Emergencies can strike without warning, disrupting daily life and putting lives at risk. Events like the water main break in our own communities are reminders of this reality. When such events occur, having a well-organized communication strategy can make all the difference. Immediate, clear and coordinated communication helps ensure that everyone is informed and knows how to respond, especially now as we enter hurricane season.

Emergency preparedness begins before any disaster occurs. It involves educating the public about potential risks, establishing clear response protocols and conducting regular drills. Community members should know where to find reliable information, how to contact emergency services and what steps to take to stay safe. 

Technology is an ally in emergency management. Social media platforms, mobile apps and websites can quickly spread information to large audiences. 

Suffolk County has some emergency preparedness apps. Smart911, a free service, allows residents to register with the Emergency Alert program to help emergency responders and Suffolk County prepare for disasters and evacuations. SuffolkAlert, another free service, allows residents to sign up for customized emergency alerts via text message, email or voice message. 

By leveraging such tools, we can ensure that vital information reaches every corner of our community.

The effectiveness of these tools depends on widespread adoption and usage. It is imperative that local authorities, community leaders and organizations actively promote these resources. Educational campaigns, workshops and community events can help to raise awareness about the importance of downloading and using emergency preparedness apps.

Maintaining trust and credibility in communication channels is essential as misinformation can spread as quickly as a verified alert, sometimes creating space for confusion and panic. Official channels must be seen as the definitive sources of information. To do so successfully requires transparency, consistency and regular updates from authorities, as well as collaboration with local media to reach broader audiences.

Finally, let’s not overlook the human element, in emergencies, neighbors often become first responders. Building a strong sense of community, where people look out for one another and share information, is equally important. Initiatives like neighborhood watch programs and community emergency response teams can enhance our collective resilience. And let us remember to check on neighbors who are elderly, disabled or live alone, and of course those who are not digitally knowledgeable.

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The Suffolk County Legislature has appointed John Rose of Setauket to the board of the Suffolk County Water Authority. The unanimous vote came at the June 4 general meeting of the legislature. Rose was appointed to a five-year term, succeeding Jacqueline Gordon, whose term expired in April.

“I am very excited for the opportunity to join the Suffolk County Water Authority,” Rose said. “I am grateful to Presiding Officer Kevin McCaffrey   for putting my nomination forward and all the members of the legislature for their trust in me. Drinking water is so essential to everything we do, and protecting it is the most important job we have. SCWA has always been an exemplary model of what makes Suffolk County great. I am looking forward to being a part of it.”

Rose is a business owner of several enterprises in the Selden area and has extensive knowledge of real estate development, planning, town codes, site work, and building plans. In 1998, he was honored by the Suffolk County Legislature with its Outstanding Volunteer Recognition Award. Rose served on the Brookhaven Industrial Development Agency from 2009 to 2015, where he helped encourage businesses to begin operations in or move to Brookhaven. He was appointed to the Suffolk County Downtown Citizens Advisory Board in 2013 and served on the Brookhaven Planning Board from 2015 to 2024.

“John has been civically engaged for more than 35 years,” SCWA Chairman Charles Lefkowitz said. “The Suffolk County Water Authority is all about serving our community, and John brings that experience in spades. I look forward to having his perspective on the board so that we can continue to improve for our customers.”

“Our board members have put forth many of the ideas that have helped shape SCWA,” Chief Executive Officer Jeffrey Szabo said. “Each board member has a unique expertise which helps improve our organization. John’s expertise will be a major boost for the organization, and we are excited to benefit from his ideas.”

“We are very fortunate to have an outstanding organization in the Suffolk County Water Authority serving our residents, and I know they are in great hands with John Rose,” McCaffrey said. “I’ve known John and his service to the community for years now. He has contributed to our community for decades through his businesses, his work on the Brookhaven IDA, and other volunteer efforts. I know he will bring that same concern and dedication to the SCWA board. I am proud to have nominated John.”

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Veterinarian Steven Templeton, of Animal Health & Wellness in Setauket, pets his two rescue dogs Penny and Emmy. Penny, the black dog, recently passed away. Photo by Stephanie Templeton

By Sabrina Artusa

Across Long Island and the United States, private equity firms are buying privately-owned veterinary clinics. Veterinary hospitals hold steadfast against economic recessions, making them an attractive acquisition for private equity firms looking for a profitable, fragmented industry in which to invest.

The veterinary industry poses a unique opportunity for private equity firms. The cash-based industry is brimming with private practices and has reaped enormous benefits as pet ownership increases in the U.S. In 2021, an estimated 70% of U.S. households owned at least one pet, an increase of 13% in three years. According to American Pet Products Association, pet industry expenditures reached $147 billion in 2023, with $38.3 billion spent on veterinary care and product sales. 

In 2021, CareVet, a veterinary practice management group, acquired Countryside Animal Hospital, a small Port Jefferson clinic founded in 1958 according to its website. CareVet boasts plentiful employee benefits and services such as paid time off and competitive pay. The perks are especially advantageous for recent graduates, who would have the chance to participate in a mentorship program. 

CareVet is a relatively small group, with nine other investments, but it is owned by Compass Group Equity Partners, a private equity firm with over 100 investments. 

Dr. Steven Templeton, owner of Animal Health & Wellness in East Setauket, said he has noticed neighboring clinics get absorbed by corporations in the last five years. Indeed, from 2017-21, private equity buyouts of veterinary clinics quintupled in value. 

The money is a major factor in private owners selling to corporations as opposed to younger veterinarians. Contracts are often millions more than would be plausible privately. 

Moreover, younger veterinarians aren’t as eager to buy a practice. Veterinarians endure long work hours in high-stress situations, and adding 10-20 hours a week managing a business isn’t something many want to take on. The shortage of veterinarians adds to the challenge of finding a private buyer.

“Money is not the whole thing — being able to practice how you think you should practice is part of enjoying your job,” Templeton said. 

Vet clinics are undeniably lucrative and have become even more so in the past couple years. People are humanizing their animals in a way they didn’t decades ago, often treating their pets as part of the family. As a result, they are more willing to spend money on their pets’ ailments. 

This type of relationship between pet and owner was only heightened by the loneliness and isolation of the COVID-19 pandemic. 

“People’s feelings about their pets changed with COVID,” Templeton said. “They were their anxiety medicine.”

Before the pandemic, pet owners in the U.S. were spending less on their animals. Now, not only is there an increase in demand for veterinary clinics, but many clinics are expanding their services.

In some corporation-owned practices, employees reap the benefits of working for a bigger, richer company. They may have more paid time off, normal hours and current technology. 

Corporations reportedly have a more regimented approach to treating a pet’s health issue, with set responses to certain issues. This standardized approach may be effective but not always to a client’s benefit.

“There are templates laid out for what you have to do in every situation which makes it more expensive,” Templeton said. “You don’t have that leeway as an employee to discuss that with the client.”

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David Wrobel. Photo by Travis Caperton, University of Oklahoma

Stony Brook University has named David Wrobel, PhD as the next dean of the College of Arts and Sciences (CAS). Wrobel joins Stony Brook from the University of Oklahoma, where he currently serves as dean of the Dodge Family College of Arts and Sciences. His appointment at Stony Brook begins August 1, 2024.

In his new role, Wrobel will oversee the largest college at the university, managing 25 department chairs, 11 center/institute directors and five associate deans as well as serving as the main financial officer of CAS including managing and increasing research expenditures. CAS is a diverse and multifaceted college that serves approximately 70% of the student population across its 30 majors, 40+ minors, 25 departments, and 27 PhD programs. The Dean will work with the Advancement team to engage and inspire potential donors and secure additional funds to support the work of CAS. He will contribute to shaping CAS faculty by leading efforts to recruit and retain excellent teacher-scholars who embrace Stony Brook’s mission of inclusive teaching and scholarly, research, and creative excellence.

“Dr. Wrobel is an experienced administrator and renowned scholar who is exceptionally well-suited to lead CAS at Stony Brook. He and I have had many conversations already about the incredible strengths and potential in CAS among the faculty, staff, and students, and its many outstanding departments, centers, and programs,” said Carl Lejuez, provost and executive vice president.

Wrobel has served as dean of the Dodge Family College of Arts and Sciences at Oklahoma since 2017, serving as interim for a year before being permanently appointed to the role in 2018. Under his leadership, he has worked with his team on a variety of significant achievements including:

  • navigating from inherited financial debt to a positive fiscal position;

  • securing the largest gift in OU history to name the college, as well as a $16 million gift to found a new quantum research center and two major department naming gifts;

  • implementing a strategic plan; establishing a School of Biological Sciences and a School of Population Health and Human Performance (pending regents’ approval); and

  • creating scholarships and programs to enhance support for underserved undergraduates, attract top graduate students, and support faculty research and creative activity.

At Oklahoma, Wrobel is the David L. Boren Professor and Merrick Chair of Western American History. He is an historian of the American West and American thought and culture, and has been recognized for excellence in teaching, research, and service. He was the inaugural recipient of the David L. Boren Professorship, one of the most prestigious honors at Oklahoma. Other honors include the Western Heritage Award for his nonfiction book, Global West, American Frontier: Travel, Empire and Exceptionalism from Manifest Destiny to the Great Depression; the Dodge Family College of Arts and Sciences Holden Award for Teaching Excellence; and research fellowships from Yale University’s Beinecke Library, the Huntington Library, the Newberry Library, and the American Philosophical Society.

Wrobel’s most recent book is America’s West: A History, 1890-1950 (2017). He is also the author of Promised Lands: Promotion, Memory and the Creation of the American West and The End of American Exceptionalism: Frontier Anxiety from the Old West to the New Deal. His current book project is John Steinbeck’s Country: A Writer’s Defense of Democracy. Wrobel co-edits The Modern American West book series and serves on the editorial board for the Steinbeck Review, and for Montana: The Magazine of Western History.

He is also known for his work with teachers around the country, participating in and directing many teacher institutes sponsored by the National Endowment for the Humanities, U.S. Department of Education, National Council for History Education and other organizations. He is past president of the Western History Association, the American Historical Association’s Pacific Coast Branch, and of Phi Alpha Theta, the National History Honor Society.

Wrobel has also held positions at other higher education institutions including Widener University, Hartwick College and the College of Wooster. He holds a master’s and doctoral degrees in American Intellectual History from The Ohio University and earned a bachelor of arts degree in history/philosophy from the University of Kent, Canterbury, England. Wrobel was also department chair and professor of history at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas.

“I am thrilled and honored to begin my work in support of the exceptional faculty, staff, and students of CAS at Stony Brook,” Wrobel said. “The College and Stony Brook exemplify the ideal and the purpose of a student-centered, public research university to ensure high levels of access and opportunity to advance social mobility, and to integrate students at all levels into the mission of creating and applying new knowledge and understanding of the physical world and the human condition to make our communities stronger. I look forward to joining the Stony Brook community and continuing my work of advocacy for and integration of the Sciences, Social Sciences, Humanities, and Arts at one of the nation’s leading public institutions of higher learning.”

Joining Wrobel in the move east are his wife, Janet Ward, PhD, and their three children. Ward will join the Provost’s Office in an associate provost role focused on support for the arts, humanities, and social sciences. At Oklahoma, she is Brammer Presidential Professor of History and faculty fellow for strategic initiatives in the Dodge Family College of Arts and Sciences. She also served at Oklahoma as the inaugural faculty director of the Arts and Humanities Forum, as senior associate vice president for research and partnerships, and, most recently, as American Council on Education fellow at Yale University.

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Volunteer Eileen Fisher (seated) at the Bright Hopes booth while volunteer Laurie Friedman interacts with a visitor during Gallery North's annual Outdoor Art Show and Music Festival. Photo courtesy of Bright Hopes
A quilt made by a member of Bright Hopes.
A quilt made by a member of Bright Hopes.
A quilt made by a member of Bright Hopes.
The Bright Hopes booth during Gallery North's annual Outdoor Art Show and Music Festival. Photo courtesy of Bright Hopes
The Bright Hopes booth during Gallery North's annual Outdoor Art Show and Music Festival. Photo courtesy of Bright Hopes

By Donna Newman

Thirteen women gathered for a bittersweet luncheon in Stony Brook recently to celebrate more than two decades of collaboration that brought joy to many children and adults living in foster care or homeless shelters. They all expressed gratitude for the opportunity to participate in a worthwhile charitable endeavor, while realizing the time had come to move on. Bright Hopes was coming to an end.

Dating back to the early 2000s, the organization Bright Hopes, created by artist Deborah Fisher, had a heart-warming origin story, told in her own voice:

“When I was young my mother taught me to sew using her portable sewing machine. I sewed dolls, clothes, bags and watched my mother make quilts — planning, tracing, cutting — until something lovely emerged.

“In 2002 I spent three months doing an artist residency in Kohler, Wisconsin. I found myself in a strange town, in a strange house, with other artists I did not know. I had brought a handmade quilt with me, a gift from my husband’s aunt. The simple gesture of putting that quilt on the bed made it feel like home, which led me to wonder: What if we made quilts for people who had no permanent home? Maybe a bright, beautiful quilt could give them a piece of home, a sense of place, to carry with them wherever they went. I asked my mom if she’d like to make some quilts to donate, and she asked the very nicest people to join us, no sewing experience necessary. And with that, Bright Hopes was born.”

Suzan Goldhaber, in speaking about the birth, said there was no big plan in place at the start, other than a desire to improve the lives of homeless children.

“The development of Bright Hopes was organic,” Goldhaber said. “So many different, talented, generous people came together forming a camaraderie of sharing.”

In the beginning, there was Quilt GIVING, a program through which one-of-a-kind, handmade quilts were given to children living in foster homes and to families living in temporary shelters. These quilts were theirs to keep and take with them wherever they went. 

Bright Hopes has donated more than a thousand quilts over the years, some directly to individuals, others gifted with the help of regional agencies.

Judy Albano described an experience that formed her first real understanding of the value of Bright Hopes. She said she rode along during a quilt delivery to mind another volunteer’s baby. Upon arrival, the driver took the quilts inside. After a time, she wondered what was taking so long, so she took the baby and approached the door.

“Just then, three joyful girls ran out, each wrapped in a colorful quilt, despite stifling summer heat,” Albano said. “Their delight was amazing.”

The next step for Bright Hopes followed the realization that if simply providing a quilt can foster hope for someone, what would happen when that person learns quilt-making skills and the ability to create quilts themselves? 

Beginning in the autumn of 2009, a new program called Quilt WORKS was initiated at Little Flower Children’s Residence in Wading River. Once a week, volunteers bearing sewing machines met with children (aged 8 to 19) to teach them how to use a sewing machine and the basics of quilt-making. A field trip to a fabric store let the kids choose fabric for their quilt. Each child was helped to assemble the top of a quilt, which was backed and finished by Bright Hopes volunteers, then returned to the maker to keep and enjoy.

Many volunteers came and went over the program’s 10 years, Deborah Fisher said, but the commitment of a few consistent regulars made the program possible. They were Joyce Bonitch, Clione Stancik and Ronni Camhi, who played a huge role at Little Flower before she moved away a few years ago.

“My time working with Bright Hopes introduced me to a group of amazing, committed women and gave me a very longed for sense of community, both with these women and with the community at large,” Camhi said. “I was able to give back and help many people. I grew as an individual as well as improving my creative sewing skills. It’s what I miss most about leaving New York.” 

In the words of Joyce Bonitch, “To see the smiles on their faces when the quilts were done was wonderful. A few returned to make another quilt for a family member or friend. One girl made a quilt for a Little Flower staff member. There was a time we were able to visit a cabin and saw the quilts on the kids’ beds; bright colors added something special to the space.”

The next logical progression was Quilt COMMUNITY. Carole-Ann Gordon, employed by FREE (Family Residences and Essential Enterprises) and a group member, made a proposal. After receiving training at FREE’s Day Services East, their differently abled adults began sewing quilts to be donated via Quilt GIVING  — a win for both creators and recipients. 

Bright Hopes eventually joined with Suffolk County community groups to teach sewing skills and increase the number of volunteers making quilts for donation. 

Before the luncheon ended, I asked the women seated around the kitchen table what they felt was the very best part of Bright Hopes. Without a moment’s hesitation, Suzan Goldhaber answered, “Each other!” And those words echoed around the room in unanimous agreement.

Over time, women joined the Bright Hopes family in different ways. One woman began quilting after her adult son took it up as a hobby. “I was inspired by Deb’s books about quilting,” Helen Emmerich said, “and when I learned about Bright Hopes, I was in.” Dorothy Cardi found the Bright Hopes booth at Gallery North’s annual Outdoor Art Show and Music Festival and was inspired. Sandy Miller was an editor at Newsday when a 2004 article about Bright Hopes caught her attention. “I clipped the article and saved it,” said Miller, “thinking when I retire, I’ll have time for this.” Years later, she did.

Deborah Fisher summed up the years saying she felt honored to get to know all the compassionate and caring volunteers who were involved. They became a family and had been through a lot together.

“I am grateful to have had the opportunity to bring together an amazing group of women who have taught me so much,” she said.

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Town of Brookhaven board honors eighth grade students from Center Moriches, Addison Raupp, Kristin Luna and Adrianna Loesch,for raising money in honor of hometown veterans. Photo by Aidan Johnson

By Aidan Johnson

A lithium battery storage facility will not be built on property owned by real estate agent Ray Manzoni near Mount Sinai-Coram Road and Route 25A.

The Brookhaven Town Board will not consider a proposal to change the zoning in the proposed area from “J Business District, Transitional Business Zone” to “L Industrial 1, Light Industrial Zone,” according to a June 5 press release from the Town of Brookhaven.

In the press release, town Supervisor Dan Panico (R) stated that after attending the latest Mount Sinai Civic Association meeting, “people preferred the current zoning and/or the possibility of the redevelopment of the parcel into a use more compatible with the zoning.”

He also stated there is “significant confusion regarding the New York State climate action goals and implementation of these battery energy storage systems.”

In an interview after the June 6 Town Board meeting, Panico said more public education on how the state government’s climate action laws work was necessary.

“I find throughout the town, a lot of people are not aware of what it entails going forward, the costs associated with the enactment, procuring the equipment,” he said.

“People have questions with regard to the sustainability of the electrical grid itself, but I think a lot more needs to be done as we move toward implementing the goals,” he added.

Other matters

During the Brookhaven Town Board meeting, which fell on the 80th anniversary of D-Day, U.S. veterans were honored when Suffolk County Veterans Service Agency Director Marcelle Leis and Deputy Director James Brennan displayed an American flag that was flown at Memorial Day services at the Long Island National Cemetery, Calverton National Cemetery, Stony Brook Veterans Home and the Babylon Grade School. 

The flag can currently be found at the county’s H. Lee Dennison Building in Hauppauge.

The Town Board also honored Aman Mistry and Siddhant Desai, two Stony Brook University scholarship medicine program students who, along with creating the Scholarship Medicine Society — which partakes in community outreach efforts in health care — hosted an innovation challenge that saw 60 students participate in brainstorming innovative solutions in respect of the lack of access and equity in health care, supported by faculty mentorship.

Additionally, three eighth graders from Center Moriches, Addison Raupp, Kristin Luna, and Adrianna Loesch, were honored after raising $8,000 for banners on street lights that display the names of hometown veterans.

The Town Board presented a proclamation recognizing and commemorating June as Pride Month in the Town of Brookhaven.

The board also passed an amendment to a code that previously allowed residents to own up to six chickens on any parcel of land. The new code permits residents to own up to 12 chickens on land larger than 20,000 square feet. However, only six chickens are permitted on land 20,000 square feet or smaller, and no roosters are allowed. There will also be a 10-foot setback from the property line for the chickens.

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