It’s time to spice things up! The Port Jefferson Chamber of Commerce hosted a ribbon cutting for The Spice & Tea Exchange on April 15. New owners Rose and Robert Rodriguez received proclamations from Legislator Kara Hahn and Brookhaven Town Councilman Jonathan Kornreich who wished them well in their new venture.
Located at 22 Chandler Square, 106 West Broadway, in the village, the franchise offers 140 spices, 85 exclusive hand-mixed blends, over 40 exotic teas, naturally-flavored sugars, salts, gourmet gifts and accessories and a tea bar serving dozens of hot and iced teas.
Pictured in the front row, from left, chamber directors Rose and Robert Rodriguez and Suzanne Velazquez; owners Vinny and Loretta Criscuoli; and chamber president Joy Pipe; back row, Kelly Mayhew from The Spice & Tea Exchange’s corporate offices.
The shop is open Monday through Wednesday from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m., Thursday and Sunday from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. and Friday and Saturday from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. Curbside pickup is available. For more information, call 631-828-4445 or visit www.spiceandtea.com/port-jefferson.
The longest offseason in the 31-year history of Splish Splash Waterpark in Calverton will come to an end on Saturday, May 29, as the park reopens its gates to guests for the first time since Labor Day 2019, a 627-day closure caused by the COVID-19 pandemic.
Splish Splash’s 30th season may begin a year later than initially planned, but with no shortage of excitement for the return of summer fun to Long Island. The first step in this comeback campaign: hiring roughly 1,000 seasonal staffers to provide a clean, safe and fun experience for Splish Splash visitors.
“We’re so excited to get back to the business of fun here at Splish Splash,” said General Manager Mike Bengtson. “Creating opportunities for people to get back to work is an important step in the recovery process, and we will keep safety as our top priority for staff and applicants throughout the recruitment, orientation and training process.”
Safety will be at the forefront of all activity during the current recruiting period and as the water park prepares to open and welcomes guests back this summer. SplishSplashWaterpark will follow recommendations and rulings from the Center for Disease Control and Prevention, New York Department of Health, and best practices within the amusement and attractions industries. Recruiters will conduct interviews virtually, and orientation and training will also be virtual for most positions. Any in person trainings will require facial coverings, strict adherence to state capacity limitations, and social distancing.
SplishSplash recruiters are looking to fill roughly 1,000 openings in departments including Lifeguards, Food & Beverage, Facilities, Retail and Sales. The flexible positions offer part-time and full-time opportunities to high school and college students, professionals looking for a change of pace, and retirees interested in supplementing their income and staying active. Most seasonal positions are available to applicants age 16 and older, with job perks including free admission, team-building celebrations, discounts on park food and merchandise, flexible scheduling, and more. For more information and to apply online, visit the Employment page of SplishSplash Waterpark<https://www.splishsplash.com/employment>.
As a special thank you to its customers, Splish Splash has extended 2020 Season Passes to include the 2021 Season. For more information, call 631-727-3600.
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SplishSplash Waterpark has 96 acres of family fun slides and attractions. SplishSplash is owned and operated by Palace Entertainment, one of the leading leisure park operators in the United States. Palace Entertainment operates 25 entertainment and educational venues across 10 different states, offering a wide range of family-friendly rides, attractions and educational experiences. Palace Entertainment is part of Parques Reunidos, one of the leading global operators, with more than 60 different assets (theme parks, zoos and marine parks, water parks and other attractions), spread out over various countries across Europe, North America, the Middle East, and Australia.
Pictured from left, Scott Svitek, MD, Chair, Allied Foundation Board and Partner, Allied Physicians Group; Melissa Passarelli, Director of Programs, Docs for Tots & New York State Act Early Ambassador, Help Me Grow-Long Island; Heather Edwards, Executive Director, Allied Foundation; Marc Suntup, Vice President of Development, Island Harvest; and Shannon Karafian Volunteer and Community Relations Coordinator, Island Harvest
In partnership with the Allied Foundation Diaper Bank, Long Island’s only diaper bank, Help Me Grow–Long Island recently donated 53,250 diapers and 43,200 baby wipes to struggling Long Island families for distribution through Island Harvest Food Bank. Even before the COVID-19 crisis, approximately one in three U.S. families experienced diaper need, a public health issue exacerbated by the growing economic and unemployment crisis caused by the pandemic.
Diaper costs are supported by a grant from The JPB Foundation through Connecticut Children’s Medical Center. This opportunity was made available by the Help Me Grow National Center to Help Me Grow–Long Island, an initiative overseen by Docs for Tots. The diapers are secured through the National Diaper Bank Network (NDBN). As a recognized member of NDBN, a national nonprofit, The Allied Foundation Diaper Bank is given direct access to high-quality diapers needed to help keep all babies clean, dry and healthy in their communities.
The Allied Foundation, a not-for-profit organization founded by Allied Physicians Group, based in Melville, has distributed 915,000 diapers to families in need in Suffolk, Nassau, Queens and Brooklyn since its inception in 2017. In all of 2019, the diaper bank distributed 45,000 diapers; however, because of the unprecedented demand for diapers, today the program is on track to distribute 1 million diapers in 2021 to help families who are less fortunate.
“Infants require up to 12 diapers a day, toddlers about eight making the cost as much as $80 per month, per baby. Clean, dry diapers are critical for ensuring good health to prevent illness and skin infection. More parents are struggling and simply unable to afford them due to loss of employment or other hardship caused by the COVID-19 pandemic,” said Allied Foundation Executive Director Heather Edwards.
“No state or federal child safety-net program allocates dollars specifically for the purchase of diapers,” explained Scott Svitek, MD, Chair, Allied Foundation Board and Partner, Allied Physicians Group.
“Since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, over 95 percent of the families that contact us need help with diapers,” said Melissa Passarelli, Director of Programs, Docs for Tots and Help Me Grow–Long Island Coordinator. “We have been working with our partners connecting families with diapers. This grant from the JPB Foundation allows us to get diapers into the hands of families who need them most.”
“Diapers and baby wipes are items that are in high demand among parents struggling to make ends meet, even before the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic,” said Marc Suntup, Vice President of Development, Island Harvest Food Bank. “Thanks to the generous donation by The Allied Foundation, Help Me Grow–Long Island and Docs for Tots, so many parents can now provide such essential products to help keep their babies safe and healthy.”
The pandemic has affected absolutely everyone and no one more so than small business owners and entrepreneurs. They have never worked harder to stay afloat than in the past year.
Elizabeth Malafi, Coordinator of the Miller Business Center acknowledges their hard work. “Small businesses and entrepreneurs have had such a hard time, especially those who rely heavily on in-person events, shows and markets,” she said.
Because of the limits on these types of events, the Middle Country Public Library’s annual Women’s EXPO went virtual last year. And, now, for the first time in its history, this traditionally fall event will be held virtually in the spring.
An initiative of the Middle Country Library Foundation, the Women’s EXPO is a vehicle to promote economic development for Long Island women entrepreneurs.“Offering a virtual marketplace during this time gives women an opportunity to promote themselves in a new way,” said Malafi. “It also pushes them to create or expand their digital presence. With support from Bank of America and our other sponsors, we are able to offer workshops that help them continue to grow their businesses virtually.”
Recent workshops focused on expanding a small business’s social media footprint.
“The mission of the Library’s Miller Business Center has always been to promote economic development on Long Island. The overwhelmingly positive feedback we received from the exhibitors about our first virtual EXPO led us to make the decision to offer the event for the first time in the spring. Now more than ever, we needed to give Long Island’s women entrepreneurs every opportunity to get back on their feet,” said Sophia Serlis-McPhillips, Director of Middle Country Public Library.
Support local businesses and shop for spring events at the Women’s EXPO on Thursday, April 15 from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. Register at www.womensEXPOli.org. Virtual attendees will be entered to win one of several door prizes. Computers for browsing will be available at the Middle Country Public Library’s Centereach branch at 101 Eastwood Blvd, Centereach on the day of the event. For more information, please call 631-585-9393, ext. 296.
And now, meet some of the participating entrepreneurs!
Edna J. White
Edna J. White
An author and life purpose coach, Edna J. White was looking for a way to revive her business during the pandemic. When she saw the EXPO was going virtual last fall, she thought it would be a good way to promote her books and coaching business.
“At first it was a little confusing because it was my first encounter with this innovative idea but after getting much-needed direction from the EXPO team, I was off and running!” she said. “The online EXPO was a great experience with a lot of engagement.”
White is hoping for even more success this spring.
Mary Ann Butera
Mary Ann Butera
Mary Ann Butera, of Crafty Butterfly, was intrigued by the idea of a virtual EXPO but didn’t think it was really for her … until she visited the online event last December and saw how great it looked and how easy the platform was to use.
“This event could well become a new trend as an addition to in-person fairs. Middle Country Library offers such excellent events and programs, this new approach is just so logical and creative — it fits perfectly into the growing acceptance and use of social media … and gives me another outlet for my hand knit creations.”
Butera will be selling felted hats, shawls, wraps, unique accessories and more during the online event.
Sherry Davis
Sherry Davis, of Davis Fiber Arts, had just decided to start selling her artwork as the pandemic hit. She quickly detoured into mask making, taking advantage of both her treasure trove of reclaimed fabrics and her fiber art skills.
Now that things are slowly returning to some semblance of normal, Davis says she is “back on track and ready to offer my handwoven upcycled rugs to the public.” After being referred to the virtual EXPO by another woman entrepreneur, Davis decided it was “just the right time for me to debut my work.”
Tiana Le
Tiana Le, owner of Le Fusion, an artisan spring roll company, has participated in the EXPO for many years and always loved the comradery of the day but was skeptical about the event going virtual last fall.
“When I heard they were doing the EXPO as a virtual market I wasn’t sure how it was going to work but it was AMAZING!!!” said Le, adding that she had customers asking questions throughout the day, like they would in person.
“They brought e-commerce to a different level. The platform was live and interactive. It was a successful and amazing experience!!” Le believes she will be just as successful at the April 15 event.
Bryan Beasley and his wife Mary were thrilled to present the gifts to Chief Nursing Officer Mary Jane Finnegan and Chief Operating Officer Michael Silverman who will oversee their distribution to the lucky winners!
Long Island’s newest Chick-fil-A restaurant, located at 530 Smithtown Bypass, officially opened for business on March 4. The restaurant will bring approximately 100 full- and part-time jobs to the community. Long Island-native, Bryan Beasley, the local owner/operator of Chick-fil-A in Commack and Smithtown is looking forward to welcoming and serving the greater Smithtown community, with hours of operation from 8 a.m. to 10 p.m., Monday through Saturday. The restaurant will open via drive-thru only. Guests can take advantage of contactless ordering and payment through the free Chick-fil-A mobile app or through online ordering.
In place of the traditional Chick-fil-A First 100® Grand Opening celebration, the restaurant honored 100 local heroes making an impact at St. Catherine of Siena Medical Center in Smithtown with free Chick-fil-A for a year on Feb. 26 and will donate $25,000 to Feeding America. The funds will be distributed to partners within the greater Smithtown area to aid in the fight against hunger locally.
Locally Owned and Operated
Bryan Beasley, a Long Island-native, began his journey with Chick-fil-A after a life-altering medical event made him reevaluate his career in the financial services industry. Beasley realized that while he loved helping his clients give back to their communities, he wanted to focus his career on giving back to his own community. In 2016, Beasley opened his first Restaurant, Chick-fil-A Commack, where he will continue to serve as the Operator while simultaneously leading the Chick-fil-A Smithtown team. Grounded in the vision of serving hospitality to positively influence his community and expanding the reach of Chick-fil-A’s mission and values, Beasley spends much of his free time supporting local youth sports and leadership initiatives within the community.
Bryan Beasley with the restaurant’s mascot.
Beasley and his family continue to honor the medical team that saved his life after a virus attacked his heart in 2011, with what he’s named “The Thankful Hearts Project.” Each year, his family encourages others to join them in performing intentional acts of kindness to honor the medical team.
“Having been born and raised on Long Island, and now raising my own family here, I could not be more excited to expand Chick-fil-A’s reach in the place that has shaped who I am today,” said Beasley. “Chick-fil-A Smithtown will further our efforts to serve great-tasting food with genuine hospitality to our community, while also providing personal and professional growth opportunities that I hope will shape a successful future for our Team Members.”
About Chick-fil-A, Inc.
Atlanta-based Chick-fil-A, Inc. is a family owned and privately held restaurant company founded in 1967 by S. Truett Cathy. Devoted to serving the local communities in which its franchised restaurants operate, and known for its Original Chick-fil-A® Chicken Sandwich, Chick-fil-A serves freshly prepared food in more than 2,600 restaurants in 47 states, Washington, D.C., and Canada.
King Kullen recently came to the aid of Long Islanders in need by hosting its annual in-store “Check Out Hunger” campaign, raising $23,000.The campaign ran in all King Kullen and Wild by Nature stores. The money was donated to the Long Island Cares/Harry Chapin Food Bank, which has served the hungry on Long Island since 1980.
“The need for emergency food supplies on Long Island was never greater than in 2020. The pandemic and weakened economy impacted families and people of all ages throughout Nassau and Suffolk,” said King Kullen Executive Vice President Joseph W. Brown, who also serves as President, Wild by Nature Markets, and Past Board President of Long Island Cares.
“Once again, Long Island Cares helped provide food where and when it was needed, and our customers again contributed to the ‘Check Out Hunger’ campaign. King Kullen and Wild by Nature have been proud to support Long Island Cares for many years and remain committed to fighting hunger on Long Island,” he added.
In 1997, King Kullen was the first supermarket chain to participate in the annual “Check Out Hunger” campaign, a unique partnership between Long Island Cares and the shopping community in which customers can make a donation with a coupon when checking out at the supermarket register. One hundred percent of all donations go to Long Island Cares.
“King Kullen and Wild by Nature have made a meaningful difference in the fight against hunger,” observed Long Island Cares/Harry Chapin Food Bank Chief Executive Officer Paule T. Pachter.“Their customers continue to generously support our mission and we are forever grateful for their support all these years.”
Photo from Rocky Point Sound Beach Chamber of Commerce
The Rocky Point Sound Beach Chamber of Commerce welcomed Long Island’s eighth Philly Pretzel Factory to the community with a grand opening and ribbon cutting ceremony on Jan. 21. The storefront is located at 346 Route 25A, Suite 92, Rocky Point in the Kohl’s shopping center.
Special guests included Councilwoman Jane Bonner and Senator Anthony Palumbo, who each presented a Certificate of Congratulations, as well as the chamber board, chamber members and residents.
Philly Pretzel Factory is known for its signature hand-rolled, fresh baked pretzels that come with a wide selection of dips. Party trays are also available.
“The Rocky Point Sound Beach Chamber of Commerce … looks forward to Philly Pretzel Factory’s success and the future patrons the business will bring to the Rocky Point community,” said Gary Pollakusky, President andExecutive Director of the chamber.
“Thank you Rocky Point and surrounding communities for the warm welcome!We are super excited to serve you all,” said franchise owners Nick Grillo and Salvatore Ruffo.
Operating hours are Monday to Friday from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m., Saturday from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. and Sunday from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. For more information, call 631-849-3507 or visitwww.facebook.com/ppfrockypoint/.
Flushing Bank recently hosted two ribbon-cutting ceremonies at its new Islandia and Shirley locations in Suffolk County. These are two of the four locations resulting from the Bank’s recent acquisition of Empire National Bank. Members of Flushing Bank’s management team were joined by several state and local elected officials at the event.
“I am extremely excited about the opportunity made possible by our recent acquisition of Empire National Bank to expand our Long Island presence and introduce Flushing Bank to the Suffolk County market. We look forward to building upon the relationships that have been established with our customers and expanding our banking services to the individuals, families, and businesses in the surrounding areas,” said John R. Buran, President and CEO of Flushing Bank.
“As a community bank, we recognize the importance of giving back and demonstrating our commitment to the communities we serve. And, we are extremely excited to be a part of their economic recovery, growth, and development,” he said.
In top photo, joining Flushing Bank’s ribbon-cutting at the Shirley branch were, from left, Thomas Buonaiuto, Senior EVP, Chief of Staff and Deposit Channel Executive, Flushing Bank; Pat Mezeuk, Director of Government Banking, Flushing Bank; Dorothy Lamboy, Assistant Manager, Flushing Bank; Mike Bingold, Senior EVP and Chief Retail and Client Development Officer, Flushing Bank; John Schneidawin, Suffolk County Department of Economic Development and Planning; NYS Assemblywoman-Elect Jodi Giglio, District 2, and Town of Riverhead Councilwoman; Board of Education President Robert Vecchio, William Floyd School District; Suffolk County Clerk Judith Pascale; Krista Classie, Assistant Branch Manager, Flushing Bank; Bill Guiducci, Branch Manager, Flushing Bank; John R. Buran, President and CEO, Flushing Bank; Ana Ortiz, representing New York State Senator Monica Martinez, District 3; Town of Brookhaven Supervisor Ed Romaine; Town of Brookhaven Councilman Daniel Panico, District 6; Tim Rothang, representing Suffolk County Legislator Rudy Sunderman, District 3; Beth Wahl, President, Chamber of Commerce of the Mastics & Shirley; Rhonda Pierson-Delorenzo, VP / Long Island Area Manager, Flushing Bank; and Bill Gianakos, Director of Retail Banking, Flushing Bank.
In photo on right, joining Flushing Bank’s ribbon-cutting at the Islandia branch were (left to right): Tara Ramdeo, Customer Care Associate, Flushing Bank; Thomas Buonaiuto, Senior EVP, Chief of Staff and Deposit Channel Executive, Flushing Bank; Town of Islip Councilwoman Mary Kate Mullen; John Schneidawin, Suffolk County Department of Economic Development and Planning; Suffolk County Legislator Tom Cilmi, District 10; John R. Buran, President and CEO, Flushing Bank; Dorothy Overton, VP / Branch Manager, Flushing Bank; Mike Bingold, Senior EVP and Chief Retail and Client Development Officer, Flushing Bank; Ana Ortiz, representing New York State Senator Monica Martinez, District 3; Rhonda Pierson-Delorenzo, VP / Long Island Area Manager, Flushing Bank; Bill Gianakos, Director of Retail Banking, Flushing Bank; Town of Islip Councilman James O’Connor; Pat Mezeuk, Director of Government Banking, Flushing Bank; and Pat Tiffany, SVP, Marketing Director, Flushing Bank.
Fans of White Castle’s iconic Original Sliders have a cause for celebration as the long-awaited renovation of the hamburger restaurant in Centereach is complete. Brookhaven Town Councilmen Kevin LaValle and Neil Foley attended the grand reopening and ribbon cutting ceremony at the 2201 Middle Country Road eatery on Dec. 3.
“White Castle has been a staple in Centereach and has continued to give back to the community for nearly 40 years. Congratulations and best of luck on your reopening,” said Councilman LaValle before presenting the store manager with a Certificate of Congratulations.
The Ohio-based company has more than 370 restaurants in 13 states. Like most of the chain’s other restaurants, the Centereach location offers a drive thru and is open 24 hours a day, seven days a week, satisfying the crave of White Castle fans morning, noon and night. While the restaurant does not deliver, they work with delivery partners Uber, Door Dash, Grub hub.
For more information, call 631-467-3147 or visit www.whitecastle.com.
Fountaingate Gardens Founders Club members (from left) Bonnie Soman and Michele Leone were also on hand to cheer the progress, along with Brodsky, Supervisor Lupinacci, Wolf, Fountaingate Gardens Director of Sales Michele Biggart, and Almer. Photo from Gurwin
Huntington Town Supervisor Chad Lupinacci (second from left) joined (from left) Fountaingate Gardens Board Chairman Cary Wolf, Gurwin Healthcare System Boad Chairman Bert E. Brodsky, and Gurwin Healthcare System President and CEO Stuart B. Almer to review features of the soon‐to‐be‐built Life Plan Community. Photo from Gurwin
The Gurwin Healthcare System has begun site clearing work for the construction of its new Independent Living Community, Fountaingate Gardens. Several key stakeholders were on hand recently to commemorate the first step toward groundbreaking for the 129-luxury apartment independent living complex, creating only the fourth Life Plan Community on Long Island.
“We are thrilled to be taking this milestone step, as we move closer to groundbreaking within the next couple of months,” said Stuart B. Almer, Gurwin Healthcare System President and CEO. Joined by members of the Gurwin board, Huntington Town Supervisor Chad Lupinacci, and Fountaingate Gardens Founders Club members, Almer spoke about the progress toward construction, and the community’s impact on Long Island seniors.
“Fountaingate Gardens will provide an amenity-rich, resort-fashioned lifestyle with a wide array of services on one campus, enabling seniors to remain on Long Island, close to the things and people they love,” he said. “Offering an active lifestyle and both financial and healthcare security for the future, the community will be the final piece to Gurwin’s full continuum of care. We are grateful for the support of Supervisor Lupinacci and the Town of Huntington for this project which is vital to enabling our area’s seniors age in place.”
“I’m so excited to see my future home coming to fruition!” said Bonnie Soman, a Founders Club member, who stopped by to see the progress. Accompanied by future neighbor Michelle Leone and wearing Fountaingate Gardens hardhats, the two Founders watched as heavy equipment moved dirt and trees to prepare for the community’s groundbreaking.
Located on Gurwin’s 34-acre Commack campus, Fountaingate Gardens will have a charming, village-like ambience offering a dynamic lifestyle for active adults. Dining venues, a fitness center, an indoor salt water pool, social gathering areas, and numerous other amenities will be conveniently located just a few steps from each residence.
Fountaingate Gardens will offer active adults the freedom and lifestyle of a Life Plan Community while ensuring access to the acclaimed Gurwin continuum of care should health needs change in the future. The project is already almost 65% sold, with some of the most popular floor plans nearly or completely unavailable.
Located at 22 Chandler Square, 106 West Broadway, in the village, the franchise offers 140 spices, 85 exclusive hand-mixed blends, over 40 exotic teas, naturally-flavored sugars, salts, gourmet gifts and accessories and a tea bar serving dozens of hot and iced teas.
Sherry Davis, of Davis Fiber Arts, had just decided to start selling her artwork as the pandemic hit. She quickly detoured into mask making, taking advantage of both her treasure trove of reclaimed fabrics and her fiber art skills.
Tiana Le, owner of Le Fusion, an artisan spring roll company, has participated in the EXPO for many years and always loved the comradery of the day but was skeptical about the event going virtual last fall.
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