Tags Posts tagged with "Steers Beach"

Steers Beach

Mike Kilano. Courtesy Paws of War

By Lauren Feldman

Mike Kilano, a United States Marine veteran, veteran advocate and crisis coordinator for Paws of War, will participate in the 22 PAC PTSD Awareness Challenge Aug. 30. This event aims to raise awareness for PTSD and veteran suicides, and to bring together over 20 veteran-related nonprofits.

Kilano, a North Babylon resident, will kayak 22 miles with others across Long Island Sound, starting in Bridgeport, Connecticut, and ending in Port Jefferson.

Kayaks will leave Bridgeport at 10:30 a.m. and are due to arrive in Port Jeff at 5:30 p.m. There will be a reception party, open to the public, at the Village Center with free food, drinks and a band from 4 to 8 p.m.

For Kilano, the challenge is a way to support his fellow servicemen and women. It symbolizes the 22 veterans who tragically take their lives each day.

Kilano understands the profound impact of combat-derived PTSD. He served in the U.S. Marine Corps from 1999 to 2003 and was deployed to the Middle East shortly after the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks, participating in Operation Enduring Freedom.

His service left him with deep scars. After just three months of deployment, Kilano began to notice how the sights, sounds and experiences of war were affecting his mental health.

Upon returning home, his struggles intensified. “I couldn’t sleep, tried to go to school, couldn’t focus … my anger took control, I got into some pretty reckless behaviors,” he said. “My isolation was so bad for two or three years, and I had a family. So you can imagine my kids and my wife having secondary PTSD because their father — her husband — had all these issues we didn’t even know about.”

Helped by Paws of War

Veteran Mike Kilano demonstrates kayak skills at Steers Beach, in Northport, in advance of the 22 PAC challenge. Courtesy of Paws of War

After nearly 20 years, Kilano was diagnosed with combat-related PTSD and began receiving services through the VA. He has slowly found ways to manage his PTSD, greatly aided by his service dog, Nova, who was paired with him through Paws of War. Nova is not only a fully trained service dog but also a beloved family member.

Paws of War, located in Nesconset, trains and places shelter dogs to serve and provide independence to U.S. military veterans who suffer from the emotional effects of war.

Inspired by Paws of War, Nova and the positive changes in his life, Kilano now works full time with the organization, helping other veterans navigate their struggles. “For a lot of veterans, their animals are their lifeline. If I can make them aware of the help of a service dog, I feel like I’m making a difference,” he said.

“As tough as things get, I know there’s a community of veterans like me,” he added. “If I can be that voice or that encouragement to my brothers or sisters, then it makes my mission away from the mission in combat worthwhile. I can sleep better because I’m helping someone out.”

Kilano is excited about participating in the 22 PAC challenge. “I love kayaking,” he said. The activity provides him with an outlet and forces him to slow down and focus: “As I start training, I’m out in the open water, I’m able to breathe, no one’s around. You’re able to focus on your breathing, your muscles. You have to get that energy out. You can’t have much negative energy when you’re in the middle of the ocean.”

Mike Kilano. Courtesy Paws of War

In preparation for the challenge, Kilano conducted kayak training at Steers Beach, Northport, Aug. 16 and spoke about his experiences with PTSD and the support he has received. “As a veteran advocate, I think it’s important to showcase groups like 22 PAC and what they’re about so that others get encouraged,” he said.

Kilano plans to continue his advocacy beyond the 22 PAC challenge. Readers interested in donating to the fundraiser and learning more about Paws of War can visit the websites 22pac.org and pawsofwar.org.

Rocky Point Beach. File photo by Kevin Redding

The Suffolk County Department of Health Services released the following press release on June 14:

Steers Beach and Asharoken Beach, both in Northport, and Tides Beach in Rocky Point are closed to bathing due to the finding of bacterial at levels in excess of acceptable criteria.

According to Suffolk County Commissioner of Health Dr. Gregson Pigott, bathing in bacteria-contaminated water can result in gastrointestinal illness, as well as infections of the eyes, ears, nose, and throat.

Beaches will reopen when further testing reveals that the bacteria have subsided to acceptable levels.

For the latest information on affected beaches, call the Bathing Beach HOTLINE at 631-852-5822 or contact the Department’s Office of Ecology at 631-852-5760 during normal business hours.

Program information –

http://www.suffolkcountyny.gov/Departments/HealthServices/EnvironmentalQuality/Ecology/BeachMonitoringProgram.aspx

Interactive map of beach closures/advisories- https://ny.healthinspections.us/ny_beaches/

Northport Boy Scout Troop 410 held event to raise funds for the Ecumenical Lay Council Food Pantry

By Karen Forman

Hundreds gathered March 18 to brave the icy cold waters off Steers Beach for the 9th annual Polar Bear Swim. Traditionally held on New Year’s Day, this year’s polar plunge had to be rescheduled for the day after St. Patrick’s Day; the water was a sheet of ice back in January.

The event is run by Northport Boy Scout Troop 410, who donate all the money raised from this event and the pancake breakfast held earlier in the month to the Ecumenical Lay Council Food Pantry in Northport. 

Last year, the Boy Scouts raised more than $5,000 for the food pantry, and they are hoping to top that this year. The final total of participants’ donations was not available as of Monday morning.  Those still interested in donating can visit https://troop410swim.com. 

This post was updated at 3:43 p.m March 19. 

 

Huntington Town, Northport Village to participate in Clean Beaches Day

Clean Beaches Day kicks off in Huntington Town and Northport Village this weekend. File photo

This weekend, Huntington Town residents will get the chance to roll up their sleeves and clean up their favorite beaches.

Clean Beaches Day is set for Saturday, June 6. Huntington Town and Northport Village co-sponsor the event, which will feature cleanups at Centerport, Crab Meadow, Gold Start Battalion, Asharoken/Steers and Scudder beaches.

In an interview this week, Northport Village Mayor George Doll said he is calling on volunteers to participate in the festivities. A commercial fisherman by trade, Doll said the event is important to him and he’s been participating for several years.

“I do it because not only am I interested in the environment, but I make a living off of fish that are pretty much a natural resource,” he said. “And it’s just a way of doing something to help keep it clean.”

Those who participate in Northport will get the chance to visit Bird Island, a bird sanctuary that doesn’t get a lot of visitors, Doll said. The island was created in the 1960s with dredge spoils, and the site eventually became home to a number of birds including Canadian geese, swans and ospreys, he said.

Volunteers will get the option of registering for a cleanup at Centerport, Crab Meadow or Gold Star Battalion beaches, according to a press release from Councilwoman Susan Berland’s (D) office. Also, volunteers can register to be a part of the Clean Beaches Bus Tour, which will take them to Asharoken/Steers and Scudder beaches.

One kickoff for the event will be at 8:15 a.m. at Centerport Beach, where volunteers can enjoy breakfast before the cleanup. The bus tour leaves Centerport Beach at 9 a.m. After the cleanup, at noon, a luncheon will be held at the pavilion at Centerport Beach, where volunteers can relax and enjoy refreshments.

Doll said volunteers would also be meeting up in Northport at 8:30 a.m. at the Village Dock, where they’ll be served a continental breakfast courtesy of Tim’s Shipwreck Diner. Cleanup will start at 9 a.m.

Visit the town’s website for more information on Clean Beaches Day or contact Fran Evans at 631-351-3018.