Stuart Vincent, director of public relations at John T. Mather Memorial Hospital speaks to Ann Moran about hospital services. Photo by Heidi Sutton
Barbara Delledonne of Santi Yoga conducts
a chair yoga workshop. Photo by Heidi Sutton
Richard Nebiosini of The Chiropractic Joint speaks to residents during the fair. Photo by Heidi Sutton
Heidi and Mark Sutton of Farmingville get their blood pressure taken during the Sound Beach Civic Association’s
Health & Wellness Expo. Photo from Ernestine Franco
Kelly Donlan, of Ear Works Audiology, gives Ann Moran a checkup. Photo by Heidi Sutton
Dr. Helena Chykyda, Dr. Minyoung Kim and Dr. James James of Mather Primary Care gave free blood pressure and blood sugar readings. Photo by Heidi Sutton
Sound Beach Civic Association volunteers who helped put together the expo were on hand at the event. Photo by Heidi Sutton
By Ernestine Franco
The Sound Beach Civic Association brought together a number of health professionals at a health and wellness expo Oct. 21.
At the health fair, professionals were on hand to provide blood pressure screenings, nutritionists discussed how to live a healthier life, representatives from the police department collected unused and unwanted medication and the Sound Beach Fire Department provided tips for calling 911 in case of an emergency
Participants, screeners and presenters participating in the even included: The Chiropractic Joint, The Community Growth Center, Ear Works Audiology, Echo Pharmacy,
Harbor View Medical Services, John T. Mather Memorial
Hospital, the LI Chapter of NYC + PANDAS/PANS Awareness Group and NY PANS Awareness Group, North Shore Youth Council, Rite Aid, Santi Yoga Community, Senior Callers, Suffolk Center for Speech,Suffolk County Health Department, Suffolk County Police Department’s 7th Precinct., Wellness and Chiropractic Solutions and Young Living Essential Oils.
Patty Pulick, a Sound Beach resident, said she absolutely loved the health fair.
“The various tables were very informative,” she said. “I got my sugar checked, learned about healthy alternatives and discussed hearing issues. It was great that the SCPD was there so I could dispose of my unused medications. I hope they have it again.”
Civic association president Bea Ruberto extended her gratitude to BPN Home Improvement Inc., Echo Pharmacy, Harbor View Medical Services, John T. Mather Memorial Hospital, Matt’s One Stop, Pern Editorial Services, Schwamb Plumbing and Heating and St. Charles Hospital, who sponsored the event.
“I would also like to give a special thank you to all the volunteers who worked tirelessly to coordinate this event, as well as Bonnie Boeger, a Coldwell Banker residential broker who provided water,” Ruberto said. “As everything else we work on, it’s the generosity of the people in the Sound Beach community that made this event possible.”
Health professionals from John T. Mather Memorial Hospital will be on hand to provide free blood pressure screenings at the event. File photo by Heidi Sutton
By Ernestine Franco
We all strive to lead healthy lives. We strive to eat healthy foods, even if sometimes we overindulge. We strive to be active, even if sometimes we spend too much time in front of the TV or computer. We strive to do what our doctors tell us to do, even if sometimes we don’t like what we hear. To reach these goals, we can use all the help that’s out there. To provide some of this help the Sound Beach Civic Association will bring together health professionals at a free Health and Wellness Expo on Saturday, Oct. 21, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., at the Sound Beach Firehouse, 152 Sound Beach Blvd. The event is co-sponsored by the Times Beacon Record News Media.
The civic invites everyone to come and learn how to make good health decisions from a variety of health professionals. Mather Hospital and its physician services group, Harbor View Medical Services, will provide glucose screening, blood pressure screening, body mass index as well as distribute kits for colon cancer screening.
Ergonomic posture exams will be provided by The Chiropractic Joint, hearing screenings by Ear Works Audiology, body wrap demonstration and fat fighter demonstration by IT Works Health and Wellness and carbon monoxide testing for smokers by Suffolk County Health Department.
Rite Aid will provide flu shots. To get a flu shot, you’ll need to bring any insurance information (including Medicare Parts B & D), a list of any medical conditions, as well as your primary care physician’s name, address and phone number.
Suffolk County Police, 7th Precinct, will be there with a Shed the Meds box so you can safely dispose of unused/unwanted prescriptions and over-the-counter drugs. The Sound Beach Fire Department will be on hand to showcase its Emergency Medical Services (EMS) equipment and explain best practices for calling 911 for a medical emergency. Ameriprise will bring some table goodies and provide information on your financial health. Echo Pharmacy will have information on compounding, pet prescriptions, medical equipment and more. Senior Callers is a personalized calling service that offers regular check-in to your loved ones.
Suffolk Center for Speech specializes in the treatment and correction of a number of language disorders. The mission of Wellness and Chiropractic Solutions is to help people get well without drugs and surgery. Young Living Essential Oils will provide material on how to kick toxins out of your system as well as some samples and raffles.
The civic has brought together health professionals providing information for all stages of life, with two specifically geared for our young people: the North Shore Youth Council (NSYC) and the LI Chapter of NYC + PANDAS/PANS Awareness Group and NY PANS Awareness Group.
Are you looking for reasons to try yoga? At 11 a.m. and 1 p.m. join Barbara Delledonne of the Santi Yoga Community for a yoga demonstration. Delledonne has been practicing yoga for 25 years and believes there is a yoga for everyone. “If you can breathe, you can practice,” she said. “It’s had a tremendous impact on my life and it’s something I want to share with everyone.”
At noon, Joanne Lauro, nutrition director and co-founder of the Community Growth Center and owner and founder of Healthy Living Network, will present a short talk, “Alkalize and Live.” Lauro is a holistic health coach and functional fitness instructor. Join Lauro and learn how food can have a negative and positive impact on your body, mind and spirit.
Our eating habits directly determine our health, but often, because of our busy schedules, we don’t practice healthy eating. So, complete your experience and sample some healthy snacks and pick up some water provided by Bonnie Boeger, a Coldwell Banker Residential Broker, as well as some recipes for healthy living.
“We hope this expo will help build awareness of health risks and provide information on how to make behavioral changes to enhance one’s health,” Bea Ruberto, president of the civic said. We should all strive to “eat well, live well and be well!” For more information, please call 631-744-6952.
Blueprints would mirror design for similar housing in Rocky Point
Mark Baisch discusses his proposal for senior homes in Miller Place at the July 10 Sound Beach Civic Association meeting. Photo by Ginny Drews
Low-cost, community-based apartments for seniors may be heading to Miller Place.
During a July 10 Sound Beach Civic Association meeting, Mark Baisch, owner of the Rocky Point-based development company Landmark Properties Ltd., proposed 44 600-square-feet, one bedroom apartment units be built as a cul-de-sac on the northwest corner of Sylvan Avenue and Echo Avenue.
The plan is for the senior-exclusive apartment complex, temporarily named Echo Run, to be developed on half of the heavily wooded 3.7-acre site, while the other half would remain in its natural state.
According to Baisch’s proposal, all four units in each of the 11 buildings would have a high Energy Star rating with geothermal heating and cooling systems. Rent is expected to be between $1,000 and $1,400 per month.
“It’s kind of lifting a weight off their shoulders because now, this whole homeownership responsibility at 75 years old goes away.”
— Mark Baisch
He said the project aims to provide older residents a new, much-needed living option.
“There’s a huge demand for reasonably priced apartments for seniors who have lived here for a significant portion of their life because for them, there is no place to go,” Baisch said of his plan, which targets senior citizens burdened with paying high taxes to live in homes or basement apartments they might not need anymore. “It’s kind of lifting a weight off their shoulders because now, this whole homeownership responsibility at 75 years old goes away and you end up living the rest of your life without that worry.”
He said senior citizens would not have to worry about upkeep and maintenance around their yard and home while in the complex.
“Here’s what would be a bunch of accessory apartments all in an area where everybody’s in the same boat — they can all support one another and that’s the way it really should be,” Baisch said. “The psychological benefit alone probably exceeds the housing benefit.”
Sound Beach Civic Association President Bea Ruberto, 70, said she’s ready to sign up.
“I can envision myself living there,” Ruberto said. “As baby boomers, we’re getting to the age where we want to live somewhere like that and we have very few rental apartments in the area. More senior rental is definitely needed.”
Ruberto said the proposal was well-received by other civic board members, especially Baisch’s idea to give each building in the complex a different color and design so it better fits the look of the community.
“I can envision myself living there. … More senior rental is definitely needed.”
— Bea Ruberto
The Miller Place proposal mirrors Baisch’s On the Commons apartment complex in development in Rocky Point on the site of the old Thurber Lumber Co. Inc. He said Miller Place and Sound Beach residents requested to be placed on the Rocky Point housing list, prompting him to add a second location.
Like On the Commons, Echo Run plans to reserve a significant percentage of its homes for United States military veterans. The minimum percentage for veterans in Miller Place would be 10 percent, Baisch said, but that number may be adjusted pending an upcoming meeting with Joe Cognitore, commander of Rocky Point Veteran of Foreign Wars Post 6249.
Mary McDonald, 66, who has lived in Miller Place for 32 years, is pleased the proposal is pushing for residential development as opposed to commercial.
“Affordable housing for seniors is something that’s going to be needed all through Suffolk County, because taxes are so high seniors have to leave,” she said. “I’m getting to that point myself.”
Brookhaven Town Councilwoman Jane Bonner (C-Rocky Point) said she has already received positive feedback from seniors.
“Several residents have reached out to me and are very excited for it,” Bonner said.
Baisch has discussed the estimated two-year plan with the president of the Miller Place Civic Association and members of Brookhaven Town, and will be meeting with the Mount Sinai Civic Association in the near future.
“I know this will be a homerun in Miller Place,” he said, “just like it’s a homerun in Rocky Point.”
From left, Bea Ruberto; Inge Goldstein, Sound Beach Civic Association membership chair; Suffolk County Supervisor Steve Bellone; and Suffolk County Leg. Sarah Anker at the bus stop in Sound Beach when second run of the 5A was added in 2014. File photo by Erika Karp
By Bea Ruberto
Sound Beach, nestled between Miller Place and Rocky Point, had a population of 7,612 as of 2010. When I first became involved with the Sound Beach Civic Association, I often heard that our hamlet was forgotten by all levels of government. I can honestly say that in recent years, this has begun to change. Among other projects, the Town of Brookhaven was instrumental in revitalizing Echo Avenue and paving this road to lower Rocky Point Road and is currently working on restoring the East Beach.
Several years ago, Suffolk County recognized the need for better bus service through Sound Beach and added two new runs of the 5A. Now, they’re getting ready to take this back and more — eliminate the 5A. This will mean there will be no service north of 25A and east of Echo Avenue. The only “service” will be the S62, which skirts our community and only runs twice a day — in the a.m. eastbound and p.m. westbound — to allow people to get to Suffolk County offices during rush hour.
Suffolk County is planning to eliminate eight routes throughout the system to help close a looming $78 million deficit, and, yes, the 5A is not a busy route, but it is the only public transportation in Sound Beach. People use this to get to work and to doctors’ appointments and to connect with other routes in Port Jefferson and Middle Island. In addition, an increasingly aging population may need to do things as basic as get to the grocery store. At this point, I don’t use the bus system, but, having just turned 70, I foresee a time in the not-too-distant future when I may need to give up my car.
According to the county, in some cases there may be alternate routes for passengers. In Sound Beach, this only applies to those living within walking distance of 25A, and most Sound Beachers live too far to walk to 25A. In other cases, existing routes may be altered to cover key destinations on the routes subject to elimination.
We then ask that the route of the 5A be modified instead of eliminated.
Barring this, perhaps the S62 can be modified so that it runs through Sound Beach proper and more often than once in the morning and once in the evening.
Public hearings on this will be held from 3 to 7 p.m. on the following dates/locations:
• Thursday, Sept. 8, Riverhead Legislative Auditorium, Evans K. Griffing Building, 300 Center Drive, Riverhead.
• Friday, Sept. 9, Hauppauge Legislative Auditorium, W. H. Rogers Building, 725 Veterans Memorial Highway, Smithtown.
Written comments may be submitted up to five days following the hearings to Suffolk County Transit, 335 Yaphank Ave., Yaphank 11980-9774.
Members of the Sound Beach Civic Association will attend the Sept. 8 meeting. If this route is removed, it won’t be easy to get the service back. We urge everyone in Sound Beach to join us whether you ride the bus or not. We will also be crafting a written comment that will be made available for use by the community. For more information, to get a copy of the written comment or if you need a ride to the Sept. 8 meeting, email [email protected] or call 631-744-6952.
Bea Ruberto is a Sound Beach resident and current president of the Sound Beach Civic Association.
Jim and Katie Ford at Good Shepherd Hospice when Katie received a promotion. Photo from Good Shepherd Hospice
By Ernestine Franco
On June 15, at 12:57 p.m., Jim Ford’s Facebook post said, “The journey continues. I’m off to Good Shepherd Hospice later today.” Just three days later, Sound Beach lost one of its best and brightest lights.
James Francis Ford was born in the Bronx on Dec. 3, 1947. He attended William Howard Taft High School and in 1967 he enlisted in the Air Force, where he was a mechanic and worked maintaining airplane while stationed in Charleston, South Carolina. Ford and his wife, Nancy, initially moved to Bayport. Again on Dec. 3, but in 1976, they moved to Sound Beach.
Jim Ford was a member of the Sound Beach Fire Department, holding various different positions. Photo from the Sound Beach Fire Department
In Bayport, Ford served in the fire department as lieutenant of the Hook and Ladder Company, so when his family moved to Sound Beach, it was only fitting he’d join the Sound Beach Fire Department. There he became a lieutenant and made his way up the ladder to attain the rank of captain of Engine Company 1, a position he was very proud to hold. Over the years he held many positions in the department, including lieutenant and captain of the Fire Police Squad, president of the department for five years. He served on numerous committees, and was a life member of the department as well as president of the benevolent fund.
For the past 10 years, Ford could no longer be a responding member of the department. “While in and out of hospitals,” his good friend and ex-Chief Bob Pulick said, “being on the inactive list didn’t stop Jim from still being of service.” In fact, Pulick said, “he was single-handedly responsible for about 75 percent of all the funds the department received each year.”
Ford’s commitment to the community was not only through the fire department. He was also very active in his church, St. Louis de Montfort R.C. Church in Sound Beach, where he was a Eucharistic minister and an usher. He also coordinated baptisms with his wife.
A valued member of the Sound Beach Civic Association, Jim is remembered fondly by the Civic president Bea Ruberto.
“In April, the Civic held a Vets Memorial lasagna dinner fundraiser.” Ruberto said. “Because of his health issues, Jim couldn’t eat the lasagna, but he bought a ticket, then brought his own dinner, because he wanted to show support for our vets.”
Jim Ford and his wife Nancy at a family wedding. Photo from from Nancy Ford
What will be remembered by most people, though, is not just all that he did, but who he was. Patty Pulick, a lifelong friend, remembers meeting the couple nearly 40 years ago.
“He had a great smile and laugh, and was always thinking of everyone else before himself, many times taking me to physical therapy whenever I needed a ride,” she said of Ford. “If I called their home wanting to speak to Nancy and Jim answered, he always said, ‘Hey you’ and I would laugh. He was a wonderful guy and I still can’t believe he is no longer with us.”
The Pulicks and the Fords enjoyed a special bond as parents. Katie and Danny Ford and Kim Pulick came from the same adoption agency in Korea — Katie and Kim within days of each other.
“I will miss our birthday lunches at such gourmet restaurants as Wendy’s, McDonald’s or George’s Kitchen,” Bob Pulick said.
Ford was very proud of his daughter Katie, who was a member of the 106th Rescue Wing of the Air National Guard. When he was already at Good Shepherd, Air Force officers came to his bedside to officially promote his daughter, a veteran of two tours in Iraq, to technical sergeant. With that promotion, Katie now outranked her father, to which Ford answered, “If I could get out of bed, I would salute you.”
Councilwoman Jane Bonner (C-Rocky Point) also fondly remembers Ford.
Nancy and Jim Ford, and their grandchildren Colin and Andy. Photo from Maureen Ford Chorma
“I think I have one word that describes him,” Bonner said. “He was a gentleman. He was a warm, kind and funny person, with an upbeat attitude right to the end. I never heard him say an unkind word about anyone.” Bonner said she will miss getting a hug from him, something he did every time they saw each other.
Jim and Nancy Ford celebrated their 45th anniversary on May 22. Both very caring and loving people, they were well known for their humor. They had fun together. Nancy remembers her husband being called “the mayor of the fire department and the mayor of their block,” and Nancy said she now knows he is the “mayor in heaven.”
Jim was the beloved husband of Nancy; loving father of Maureen Chorma (Timothy), Kathleen and Daniel; adored grandfather of Andrew and Colin; and dear brother of Michael Ford, Mary Walsh and Kenneth Ford. A Mass of Christian burial was celebrated at St. Louis de Montfort R.C. Church in Sound Beach. Internment followed in Calverton National Cemetery. Donations may be made in his name to Good Shepherd Hospice, Hope House Ministries or the Grumman Memorial Park.
Bea Ruberto, who helped organize for a new Welcome to Sound Beach sign, poses with it between Dr. Denise Burton, left, and Councilwoman Jane Bonner, right. Photo from Bea Ruberto
She’s tiny, but mighty — that’s how Councilwoman Jane Bonner (C-Rocky Point) described Sound Beach civic president Bea Ruberto.
The 69-year-old editor and president of the Sound Beach Civic Association has lived in Sound Beach for more than 30 years, and her impact on the area is not only seen upon entering the hamlet but also felt far and wide.
Ruberto helped with the replacement of the Welcome to Sound Beach sign, organized and managed the Celebrate Sound Beach weekend, conducted successful Hamlet-wide garage sale, expanded the civic’s bimonthly newsletter, hosted the annual Pet Adopt-A-Thon for Brookhaven residents and chaired the annual scholarship fund food fair and silent auction, which raised and awarded $14,000 to local students. She also helped add an extra bus stop that takes commuters into Port Jefferson, to make the last morning train into the city. But what Ruberto said she is most proud of, though, is how she obtained grant applications to secure funds to improve the pedestrian walkway on Echo Avenue — a project that is near completion.
“I’m elated about the whole thing — it needed to be revitalized,” Ruberto said of the road. “The town has been very receptive to making changes along the way as needed and they did a fantastic job.”
Ruberto said she first approached Bonner with the problem when she saw a photo that showed a bus moving into the middle of the road while a runner raced alongside a wooded area.
Bonner said it’s been a pleasure working alongside Ruberto.
“She’s got a heart the size of Texas, cares passionately about Sound Beach and her role as a civic leader and is one of their most wonderful advocates,” she said. “She’s very forward-thinking; she’s patient; she understands. She’s one of those people that got put on Earth to help people, and she does a great job.”
Dan Losquadro, the highway superintendent for the Town of Brookhaven, has worked on various projects with Ruberto over the last several years and said she’s also been a driving force to get things done.
Bea Ruberto is a strong presence in the community. Photo from Ruberto
“Bea is someone that is passionate about her community,” he said. “Sometimes you meet people who don’t understand the work that goes into these projects or the time constraints and budget limits, but Bea has been someone who is always very understanding and easy to work with, but is also persistent. She never gives up on an issue.”
Mimi Hodges, a 58-year-old resident who grew up in Sound Beach, said Ruberto engaged her right away when she arrived to the area, helping her get involved in the civic — where she got to see the kinds of things Ruberto does, however obvious or subtle they may be.
“I’m just a little person who’s so impressed — the fact that she juggles all of this is amazing to me and she has so much energy and to be able to do what she does is remarkable,” she said. “She has a warmth and a generosity to her that I haven’t seen since I was a child, honestly. I say that with no hesitation.”
What she also liked, she said, is how Ruberto was able to make changes that enhanced and bettered the community, while maintaining its old hamlet charm that it had when she was a child.
The passion Ruberto has for Sound Beach was also recognized by state Sen. Ken LaValle (R-Port Jefferson), who honored Ruberto as his Woman of Distinction in 2014.
Charlotte Fritts, the 65-year-old secretary for the civic for the last four years, said she has seen how tirelessly Ruberto works for the community and also said that the way Ruberto handles issues is appreciated by both the Sound Beach residents and the political figures that govern it.
“When she feels that a project is good for the community, she holds on to it, works with it in a very nice way and has established a great rapport with representatives in Brookhaven town,” she said. “She doesn’t just go to them with problems, but researches to bring various solutions to that problem, which makes it nice for them because then they have something to work with.”
Fritts said everything Ruberto accomplished thus far has not only benefited the community by making it better but also enriched neighbors’ lives as well.
“I admire her greatly — she’s tenacious,” Fritts said. “She’s really a very civic-minded individual and a very bright woman who is also a good neighbor. She’s very approachable to people in the community. She’s a caring person. A simple something that may not seem as important to a whole community is important to one person and she never makes anything seem unimportant. She always listens and helps resolve a situation.”
Fritts, along with other members of the community and politicians, said someone like Ruberto is needed in a community. It’s important to her, and it shows.
“The civic worked on issues that were important to the community as a whole and that interested me,” Ruberto said of first joining the civic back in 1995. “The people in Sound Beach are a wonderful bunch of people that really appreciate what the civic does. Seeing the rewards and the progress, that’s what it’s all about. No matter how hard leading up to something is, once it works out the rewards are unbelievable.”
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