Port Washington News 4/26/23 edition is published weekly by Anton Media Group.

Community: Local

(See page 4)

Calendar: Library hosts résumé workshops April 29 (See page 8)

Kids: Summer camp registration open now (See page 10)

North Hempstead: Annual Mother’s Day plant sale announced (See page 14)

Spring Coastal Cleanups

Helping protect, restore and enhance Manhasset Bay

JULIE PRISCO

jprisco@antonmediagroup.com

The Manhasset Bay Protection Committee is hosting two Spring Volunteer Beach Clean-up days on Sunday, April 30 at Whitney Pond Park in Manhasset and Saturday, May 20 at Baywalk Park in Port Washington. Both events start at 9:30 a.m. and last for an hour to two hours. This is the second year the Committee is hosting spring beach clean-up days, as they previously only hosted clean-up days in the fall to coincide with the annual International Coastal Clean-up, sponsored by the Ocean Conservancy.

The Manhasset Bay Protection Committee is dedicated to addressing water quality and coastal issues around the Manhasset Bay area.The Committee’s goals are to protect, restore, and enhance Manhasset Bay so as to ensure a healthy and diverse marine ecosystem while balancing and maintaining recreational and commercial uses. Tasks that help toward these goals include the annual volunteer beach clean-up.

After the Hempstead Harbor Protection Committee was formed in the ‘90s, local municipalities around Manhasset Bay came together to create the Manhasset Bay Protection Committee.

“The local municipalities realized they could leverage more working together than working independently,” said Sarah Deonarine, Executive Director of the Manhasset Bay Protection Committee.

The Manhasset Bay Protection Committee is made up of 15 municipalities, including Nassau County, the Town of North Hempstead and 13 villages. Villages

involved are, Baxter Estates, Flower Hill, Great Neck, Kensington, Kings Point, Manorhaven, Munsey Park, Plandome, Plandome Heights, Plandome Manor, Port Washington North, Sands Point and Thomaston.

With the committee’s mission of protecting Manhasset Bay in mind, Deonarine decided to move the cleanup locations around to cover different parts of the area. While last year’s first spring clean-up days took place at Manorhaven Town Beach and Baywalk Park, both in Port, this year one will be in Manhasset.

Residents of any age, groups like the Boy Scouts and Girl Scouts, families and friends from Port Washington, Great Neck, Manhasset, or Roslyn are invited to participate in the coastal cleanup days. “Scout groups make up the bulk of groups that come out to the cleanups,” said Deonarine.

In the fall, participants tally the trash collected and the data is sent to the Northeast Chapter of the American Littoral Society, which tracks and monitors changes in the trash collected each year.

“We send people out in teams and there’s

one person who’s the data recorder. So while they’re out there, somebody’s tallying what they’re picking up, like cigarette butts, lighters and face masks,” said Deonarine. “Then we weigh all the trash when we get back together. Then all the data goes to the American Littoral Society.”

The information about the amounts and types of trash collected goes into the American Littoral Society’s database and has been used to create legislation around the world.

“For the spring, we will do less tallying, but we’ll still weigh the collected trash. Then I’ll use that information for educational materials to use locally,” said Deonarine.

In addition to the annual cleanups around the bay, the Manhasset Bay Committee has been working on crafting a new Water Quality Improvement Plan. A Water Quality Improvement Plan is a guiding document of projects, activities, and other actions that will lead to improvements in water quality.

“[The new plan] includes a big public input component. So, we want people to get involved and send in comments about the day or something they’re worried about

concerning the bay,” said Deonarine.

The Manhasset Bay Protection Committee is asking people to think about things like possible sources of pollution and how residents can help improve the bay. Deonarine has set up an email for comments, thoughts and concerns to be sent to baycomments@ gmail.com

This spring’s cleanup is sponsored by the Northeast Chapter of the American Littoral Society, the Town of North Hempstead and the Manhasset Bay Protection Committee. Latex gloves and trash bags are provided to those participating in the cleanup. Participants are encouraged to bring sunscreen and tick spray to keep themselves safe while collecting trash. Cleanups are rain-or-shine events, so dress appropriately for the weather.

While registration isn’t necessary, it is encouraged to help keep track of participant numbers and to ensure communication is available in case a situation arises where the cleanup needs to be canceled. Register with Sarah Deonarine at mbpcexec@gmail.com

Visit manhassetbayprotectioncommittee. org for more information.

Collected trash from the 2022 Spring Coastal Cleanup (Photos from the Manhasset Bay Protection Committee Facebook)

A young participant at the 2022 Spring Coastal Cleanup

Weighing collected trash for data records

Cow Neck Peninsula Historical Society Honored With A 2023 Award Of Distinction

Cow Neck Peninsula Historical Society is among 14 award winners to be honored by Museum Association of New York (MANY) for its unique leadership. The Historical Society is receiving the Excellence in Design award for its WWI: The Home Front – Our Community Takes Action exhibition Catalog. The exhibit reopens on May 10 and runs through November.

As a 2023 Award of Distinction Winner, Cow Neck Peninsula Historical Society was recognized at the MANY annual conference “Finding Center: Access, Inclusion, Participation, and Engagement” in Syracuse on April 17. The award winners are being honored for their unique leadership, dedicated community service, transformational visitor experiences, community engagement, and innovative programs that use collections to tell stories of everyone who calls New York home.

“New York’s museums and museum professionals are reimagining and reinventing their roles within their communities, how they interpret their stories and collections, and the visitor experience,” said Natalie Stetson, Executive Director of the Erie Canal Museum and MANY Program Committee Co-Chair. “This year’s award winners are outstanding examples for the museum field.”

“We were incredibly impressed with the quality and quantity of award nominations this year, which made the review process highly competitive,” said Clifford Laube, Public Programs Specialist at the Franklin D. Roosevelt Presidential Library and Museum and MANY Program Committee Co-Chair. “Museums and museum staff across the state are demonstrating creative thinking and are inspiring institutional change.”

“The exhibition catalog showcases what was happening on Long Island during World War I,” said Cow Neck Peninsula Historical Society President Chris Bain. “The narrative is not about the war; it’s about the home front, and is a personal one. It hasn’t really been told in this way before.”

The Excellence in Design: Publications/ Graphics award acknowledges extraordinary achievement in design in Publications/Graphics. It recognizes excellence in the graphic design of a museum publication. Award winners are selected for overall design concept, creativity, accessibility, and how the museum branding and mission are communicated.

The WWI: The Home Front –Our Community Takes Action Exhibition Catalog reflects how people on Long Island experienced the home front during the First World War. It is illustrated with primary source materials, newspapers, pictorial magazines, photographs, images, artifacts, and letters from soldiers. The catalog designers color coded sections to correlate to the exhibition installation.

When the exhibit first opened in September of 2022, the Port Washington News spoke with Bain about the nine-room exhibit at the Sands-Willet House. Bain said, “Each room is themed. One might be on the how and why we got into the war in the first place and the next room is mobilizing the draft.”

The Cow Neck Peninsula Historical Society has gathered lots of original paperwork for the men drafted from Port Washington and the surrounding areas. Pages are displayed with photographs and names that people on the tour can see.

One of the largest rooms in the front of the house holds displays detailing the suffragist movement. The suffragist movement began long before WWI, but the mass efforts of women across the country helped progress the movement.

The exhibit highlights the various jobs women did during the war that men previously did, such as farming. In the suffragette’s room, a large timeline is on display to show what was going on throughout the years, which is broken down into what was happening locally, statewide and nationally.

The exhibit continues to showcase the various contributions from organizations such as the Boy Scouts, Girl Scouts and the Long Island Rail Road. The themed rooms dive into details that many never knew. When learning about WWI in school or

watching movies and documentaries about the war, everything is usually focused on the war itself and not the contributions from home. The Cow Neck Peninsula Historical Society made sure to find artifacts, create displays and provide information on many facets of the home front.

When going from room to room, a new story from a unique time in the war is told. The very last room of the tour shows everyone who came home from the war. All the stories told throughout the tour are happening simultaneously, and lots of information is provided. Because of the great detail of the exhibit, the Cow Neck Peninsula Historical Society sells the award-winning 160-page color catalog.

“There is so much information in each room, and you can’t possibly take it all in. There just isn’t time,” said Bain. “[The catalog] is good reading. It’s written in an approachable and absorbable way.”

Privately scheduled 75-minute exhibit docent-guided tours are limited to a maximum of 10 people per tour. The museum is also offering tours without docents each month. The entry fee for all tours is $12. For more information, visit https://www. cowneck.org/ww1-the-home-front.

The printing and binding of the WWI: The Home Front – Our Community Takes Action Exhibition Catalog was made possible through a generous grant from The Robert D.L. Gardiner Foundation.

About the Museum Association of New York

The Museum Association of New York is the only statewide museum service organization with more than 730 member museums, historical societies, zoos, botanical gardens, and aquariums. MANY helps shape a better future for museums and museum professionals by uplifting best practices and building organizational capacity through advocacy, training, and networking opportunities. Visit www.nysmuseums.org and follow MANY on Facebook, Instagram, and LinkedIn @nysmuseums

About Cow Neck Peninsula Historical Society

The Cow Neck Peninsula Historical Society is a nonprofit organization that aims to engage people of all ages in programs that highlight the lifestyles of the people and families that lived and worked on the peninsula throughout the years. Central to the Historical Society’s mission is the preservation of the Sands-Willets House (circa 1735) and the Thomas Dodge Homestead (circa 1721), which the Society operates as house-museums, serving as resources for the community. To learn more, visit www. cowneck.org.

—Information provided by the Cow Neck Peninsula Historical Society with additional reporting by Julie Prisco

Above: “WWI: The Home Front–Our Community Takes Action” reopens May 10

Display at the WWI: The Home Front exhibit.

Part of the exhibit inside the Sands-Willets House.

(Photos from the Cow Neck Peninsula Historical Society)

Molloy University Professor Visits Port For A Book Signing

Dr. Vicky Giouroukakis, a Molloy University Professor in the School of Education and Human Services, will be signing copies of her book Growing Up in an Immigrant Household and Community: Essays by Descendants of Immigrants at the Archangel Michael Greek Orthodox Church on May 3.

Dr. Giouroukakis is a first-generation American of Greek immigrant parents. When she was in kindergarten, she experienced her first incident of “otherness” when her teacher struggled to pronounce her name, Vasiliki, suggesting they change her name for convenience.

Growing up, Dr. Giouroukakis served as a translator for her mother, who did not know English. When she was sixteen years old, she enrolled her mother in ESL classes in Astoria to help her learn English. Right before the courses were due to begin, her mother decided that she no longer wanted to participate because she was too embarrassed and too nervous to go back to school.

These stories have always resonated with Vicky throughout her life and helped serve as inspiration when writing her book, Growing Up in an Immigrant Household and Community: Essays by Descendants

of Immigrants, about what it was like to grow up in an immigrant household and community. Divided into five sections— Challenges and Hardships, Fond Childhood Memories of the Immigrant Community, The Immigrant Household and Food, Life

Lessons Learned from Immigrant Parents, Life Lessons Learned from Immigrant Grandparents—the essays aim to give a voice to descendants of immigrants. The fellow authors with backgrounds from countries all around the world are sharing

their personal stories from being raised by immigrant parents or grandparents.

“This book is for people who have felt like ‘the other’ at times in their lives simply because of being different,” said Dr. Giouroukakis. “Growing up, I struggled with my identity and finding a balance between my Greek and American cultures. My parents were grateful for the opportunities they were able to have when they came to America. They taught me how to work hard and persevere in order to succeed in life. Through this book, I want to honor my parents and all immigrant parents as well as their children, the hardships they endured and the joys they experienced in their household and community as they sought to define their cultural identity.”

Dr. Giouroukakis will sign copies of her latest book on Wednesday, May 3 from 6:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. at the Archangel Michael Greek Orthodox Church, located at 100 Fairway Dr., Port Washington, NY 11050. The book signing will benefit The Archangel Michael Ladies Philoptochos as they provide the opportunity for women who are committed to actively assist those less fortunate and to make a difference.

—Submitted by Molloy University

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Dr. Vicky Giouroukakis (Photos from GoodReads website)

CALENDAR

FRIDAY, APRIL 28

Sandwiched In with Paula Curci

12 p.m. (Library Lapham Meeting Room and on Zoom) Poetry as Memoir. In celebration of National Poetry month, Paula Curci will reflect on how biographical journaling and poetic memoir can foster personal growth and encourage positive dialogue with family and friends. Register at pwpl.org/events

Weekly Scrabble Meet-Up

2 p.m. (Library Mezzanine Meeting Room)

Drop in and play a game of Scrabble. No registration required.

Film at the Library

7 p.m. (Library Lapham Meeting Room) Where the Crawdads Sing (2022)

Screenwriter Lucy Alibar and director Olivia Newman adapt Delia Owens’s best-seller about Kya, a young woman who lives alone in the dangerous marshlands of North Carolina, and who now finds herself suspected of murder.

SATURDAY, APRIL 29

Résumé Formatting

10 a.m. (Online) This interactive workshop provides participants with a step-by-step guide to formatting a professional looking résumé that optimized for both human and ATS (Applicant Tracking System) Review. Made possible by the Career & Personal

WHAT’S HAPPENING IN YOUR COMMUNITY

Finance Center. Register at pwpl.org/events

Creative Writing Workshop for Teens

10 a.m. (Library Learning Center Room

A) Teens in grades 7-12 are invited to get inspired and flex those creative muscles in this creative writing workshop series. Teens that participate in the series may have potential for community service credit work with younger children. This series is made possible by a grant from HEARTS PW. Register at PWPL.org/teens.

Résumé Content

1 p.m. (Online) Learn how to present yourself as an achiever, not just a doer, and use keywords to improve your résumeés chances of being seen. Made possible by the Career & Personal Finance Center. Register at pwpl. org/events

SUNDAY, APRIL 30

Taste of the Town

2 p.m.-5 p.m. (Archangel Michael Greek Orthodox Church) The Kiwanis Club of Manhasset-Port Washington sponsors this event featuring delicious restaurant samplings, desserts and live music. Call 516-6501959 or 917-741-8294 for tickets.

MONDAY, MAY 1

Books for Dessert

10 a.m.-12 p.m. (Port Washington Public Library) Books for Dessert is a book club

for adults over 21 with intellectual disabilities, who live or work in and around Port Washington. For more information about our book club, please contact Kate Monsour at

TUESDAY, MAY 2

Town Board Meeting

7 p.m. (Town of North Hempstead Town Hall) Town of North Hempstead Town Board Meeting. Available to view virtually on northhempsteadny.gov

FRIDAY, MAY 5

Caissie Levy

8 p.m. (Jeanne Rimsky Theater) Caissie Levy is a Tony-nominated performer who is well-known across Broadway and West End audiences. Visit landmarkonmainstreet.org for ticket information.

SATURDAY, MAY 6

Long Island Fairy Festival

10 a.m.-4 p.m. (Sands Point Preserve Conservancy) At the heart of the Fairy Festival is the community’s participation in the building of the enchanted dwellings that will invite fairies and other woodland creatures to visit the Preserve for the festival. A multi-faceted festival of fairies, food, and family fun. Visit sandspointpreserveconservancy.org for ticket information.

Wizard Academy

11 a.m.-12 p.m. (Jeanne Rimsky Theater) Veteran New York-based variety performer and physical comedian David Engel has been delighting audiences since 1989 with his special blend of theatrical clown and slapstick antics. David’s work is nonviolent, and non-gender specific and aims to incite curiosity, empathy, social-courage and empower todays increasingly distractible youth. Visit landmarkonmainstreet for ticket information.

Jawas, Jedi, And Wookies Rejoice: Star Wars Day Is Here

501st Empire City Garrison adds a Galactic flavor to local events

For many people, May fourth is just another day on the calendar, but for fans of the Star Wars franchise, it is Star Wars day. A play on the saying “May the Force be with you,” May the fourth has long been a day for people to let their inner Jedi or storm trooper show.

Interestingly, the first recorded reference of the phrase being used was on May 4, 1979, the day after Margaret Thatcher was elected as Prime Minister of the United Kingdom. Her political party, the Conservatives, placed a congratulatory advertisement in the London Evening News saying “May the Fourth Be with You, Maggie. Congratulations.”

These days, Star Wars fans have multiple storylines to follow and more merchandise than ever before. Star Wars day events are held in libraries and bars, with trivia, games and cosplay. There is even a Star Wars theme park called Galaxy’s Edge at each of the Disney resorts. There is also Star Wars celebration, a convention that takes place at the end of May, where many people dress as their favorite characters.

There are a few groups who take this even farther, and one of the most prominent is the 501st Legion. This organization, established in August 1997 by Albin Johnson and Tom Crews, has over 35,000 members worldwide. Each member must have an approved, screen-accurate, self-made costume that replicates the outfit of one of the “villains”. This started out as just stormtroopers, but now includes any morally dark character featured in the Star Wars universe.

On January 1, 2007, two hundred members of the Legion marched in the annual Tournament of Roses Parade in Pasadena, California, with George Lucas himself as the grand marshal. Lucas and Johnson discussed the future of the rapidly growing Legion. This culminated in an informal partnership where Lucasfilm granted the Legion a limited use of their copyrighted characters, as long as members promised never to use their costumes for personal profit and represented the franchise in a positive and respectful manner.

Closer to home, Long Island is represented by the Empire City Garrison, and their commander is Chris Feehan. Feehan has been involved with the 501st for 15 years and

Members of the 501st in Amman, Jordan. (Photo by Chris Feehan)

has done nine different costumes over that time. A self-described sci-fi and movie geek, he first learned of the group after spotting them at a convention in the early 2000s. Over the course of about two years he put together his first costume, a stormtrooper. His costume was approved and he was able to join in 2008. He calls this one of the best decisions he’s ever made. “There’s makers all over the place that make the individual vacuform parts but it’s up to you to glue the pieces together. You get the associated parts like the boots, make a replica blaster, different parts of the helmet. You have to strap it together yourself with snaps and different elastic straps and things to fit it to your own body. It’s not a turnkey process that you just can get a costume and just wear it right out of the box.”

Part of the mission of the 501st is working with charities and non-profits. Feehan puts it this way: “we call ourselves bad guys who do good. Basically what the group does is not only help each other build your costumes and make them movie accurate, but it’s also to use them for good in the community. We use the costumes practically every weekend, charity walks, library visits, hospital visits,

things of that nature, and just try to use them for positive things in the community.”

One bonus to having screen accurate costumes is getting asked to be extras on some of the new content Disney Lucasfilm is creating. “They’ll reach out to us because they know we have 100 percent movie accurate costumes. We know how to put on the costume. We know how to walk around in the costume; we have experience. So they’ll tap us for that. And we have a very good relationship with Disney Lucasfilm because they know we’re not doing this for profit. We’re doing this for good in the community. They needed a gaggle of Stormtroopers for big scenes and instead of having to construct the costumes and hire 50 stunt people, they just had the local Garrison come down and bring 50 stormtroopers.”

For those interested in joining up, enrollment is open to anyone over the age of 18. The first step is to go online and browse the costume reference library, or CRL. Feehan recommends going for something recognizable, like a stormtrooper. At this point, it makes sense to contact your local garrison. For the Empire City, the website is 501ecg.com. Here you can connect with

people in the forums who will offer advice and assistance as needed. “A lot of our men and women will help people get started with their costumes and help with putting them together. I’ve helped a number of members within my group, you know, get their costumes started or get them finished to a level that they need to make them 100 percent will be accurate. Once you had all the parts together, you take some photos, you submit them for approval. When they get approved you’re eligible to attend and volunteer for any of the events that we have on our schedule.”

For obvious reasons, the coming weeks are among the busiest time for the Empire City Garrison. Not only is it Star Wars day, but May 6 is free comic book day. If an organization is planning to request some extra empire flavor for their May 4 celebration, Feehan recommends booking six to eight months in advance. “We actually have somewhere around 20 events scheduled either on May the fourth or on May the sixth. So that week is crazy for us. We do give a priority to the children’s hospitals. We’re actually doing two children’s hospitals in New York area this year. We’re doing Cohen’s Children’s Medical Center in New Hyde Park and we’re doing Hassenfeld Children’s Hospital in New York City. So those usually get priority, but there are a couple of community events that some of the folks who do not (attend) the hospital events may do. And then of course on Free Comic Book Day, a lot of local comic book shops and some libraries have asked us. So unfortunately, there’s not enough folks to go around. We ask that folks try to get in their requests as far in advance as possible. We usually book up six to eight months in advance for the entire year.”

On a personal note, seeing the effect his costumed appearances had on children who were fighting to become well inspired him. Feehan credits his time with the 501st as helping him to land a second career in the non-profit sector. “It really helped invigorate my volunteerism and volunteer spirit. When I lost my job about four years ago I had kind of made a personal decision. I was at a point in my life where I was able to kind of pick and choose what I want to do next. I work for the cerebral palsy association of Nassau County, which for me is a dream job. Because now basically in my job and in my personal time, I’m doing stuff for other people and doing stuff that’s really rewarding.”

AMANDA

aolsen@antonmediagroup.com

Members of the 501st and the Rebel Legion at Cohen Children’s Hospital.

(Photo by Vicki Lares)

JANET BURNS

jburns@antonmediagroup.com

The New York Islanders have been bringing their all into the first round of the 2023 Stanley Cup Playoffs after beating the Montreal Canadiens to clinch the playoff spot on April 12.

During the playoff-spot game, Brock Nelson scored twice to help the Islanders beat Canadiens 4-2.

Hudson Fasching and Anders Lee also scored for New York, and Ilya Sorokin made 16 saves to close out the regular season.

All told, the team managed a 19-9-4 run from Jan. 27 onwards, and didn’t secure their playoff spot until the final game of the regular season.

As of press time, the Islanders are more than through their first round of playoff games against the Carolina Hurricanes, with an outcome expected this week. The

New York Islanders Enter Islanders beat Canadiens to

Islanders lost their first two playoff games to the Hurricanes in Raleigh, then clinched their first 2023 playoff win against the North Caroline team during the Islanders’ first home game of the round.

Game 3 last Friday looked like a comeback, with Islanders taking home the win with a final score of 5-1.

During their third period, the team also managed to score the fastest burst of four goals in playoff history, according to ESPN, who called their streak in the sixteenth-to-eighteenth minutes of Period 3 a “record-setting outburst.”

During Sunday night’s game, however, the tables seemed to turn again at UBS Arena as the Hurricanes beat out the Islanders 5-2 on Sunday. As a result, the Hurricanes now lead the Islanders 3-1 in won playoff games for the first round.

Their next matchup happens Tuesday, April 25 (after our papers go to press, and before they hit most mailboxes), so, like all the other hockey fans in Nassau County, we’ve been on the edge of our seats to find

out whether the Islanders will keep clawing their way back in this first playoff round or head home to watch the rest of the Stanley Cup showdown.

The Islanders are in the postseason for the fourth time in the past five seasons, advancing to the third round of the playoffs in both 2020 and 2021 and the second round in 2019. The team missed the mark in 2022 to participate in the playoffs, but they’re not slowing down.

“I can’t tell you how hard last year was just not playing in those big games and those big moments,” said center Mathew Barzal in a statement. “We want to be in the spotlight and that’s what the playoffs is. We’re excited.”

“Coming into this year, there was a strong focus on having that goal of finding a way

in,” said defenseman Ryan Pulock.

“It doesn’t matter if you’re first or 16th you get a chance to fight for the Stanley Cup and I think it’s starting to set in here as we get closer by the day of just the excitement and the energy that you have in practice.”

The New York Islanders edged out the Montreal Canadiens for a playoff spot during their final regular-season game on April 12.

Islanders defenseman Alexander Romanov during a morning team skate on Friday, April 21 at UBS Arena.

(Credit: New York Islanders via Twitter)

A shot of the new UBS Arena, the Islanders’ home stadium, at sunset. (Courtesy of UBS Arena)

Stanley Cup Playoffs score playoff spot

OBITUARY

Anthony Ralph Galdi

September 21, 1926 - April 11, 2023

Anthony Ralph Galdi of Ormond Beach, son of Ralph Galdi & Filomena Infante Galdi, husband of Helen L. Galdi, father of Deborah Ann Galdi and her husband Frank Virga, grandfather of Jennifer Anne Virga Bosch and husband Gerard Bosch and Michael Anthony Virga, great grandfather of Olivia Harper Bosch, Big brother to Millie Moroney of NJ and Rose Litrio of Texas and a favorite among his many nieces and nephews.

To secure their 2023 Stanley Cup Playoffs spot, the Islanders outshot the Canadiens 4-2 in a home game on April 12. (Courtesy of the New York Islanders)

Tony was a proud Navy veteran and served his country in the South Pacific during World War II. He enjoyed a successful 45-year career with the Allstate Insurance Company and was an avid reader, writer, New York Times crossword fan and a competitive golf and tennis player who was loved by all who came to know him.

COLUMNS

HEADLINE: The Inaugural Column

I would like to open the first Long Island Veterans Bulletin column with a nod to the local veterans who have carried the torch for community newspaper editorials in the past, particularly by way of the editorial pages of Anton Media Group. I have always admired the message and the dedication to getting the message out on behalf of all fellow veterans.

Support and services specifically for veterans continue to get better, in my opinion, a vast difference from when I moved here to Long Island more than 20 years ago. While the needs of older veterans differ from younger veterans and men and women veterans are largely different, I can say, I feel that veterans on Long Island are being heard. We are making differences in our communities and are being acknowledged with credit to our disciplined and take-charge foundations that help us, especially modern war-era women veterans, move the needle forward on nearly everything that

JENNIFER CORR

jcorr@antonmediagroup.com

I love going to the Long Island Aquarium. I often go the week of my birthday, when you can get a free ticket. I’ve even gone in groups with my mom, grandma and best friend because we’re all birthday neighbors.

And with the Sunday of April 16 being gloomy and chilly, myself, my boyfriend AJ and his sister Amanda decided to take a day trip to Riverhead to see some amazing aquatic animals and mammals, and even butterflies. Heading there, we had Tropical Smoothie for breakfast, as well as some Burger King, so that we would remain sustained throughout the entire day. We were there from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m., entertained every minute of it.

We started our journey through the aquarium by, of course, petting the sting rays. And then we checked out the butterflies exhibit, which is situated in an indoor, luscious garden. You can find butterflies every where you turn, some grouping together to enjoy fruits on various plates throughout the garden. The butterfly that

L. I. VETERANS BULLETIN

Christy Hinko

we set our sights on.

If I had to put a team together of people who could get the job, any job, done, the first dozen would be veterans right here in Nassau County, and the majority of them would be a band of women veterans that I have had the privilege of working with on various projects in the past couple of decades.

A couple of years ago, I started a Facebook page, Long Island Veterans Bulletin, to aggregate

veteran events, services and information that are hyperlocal to the island. These things range from support groups, parades, fundraisers, available or changing services and offers which are specific and directly related to veterans. The virtual bulletin board is gaining momentum and is used to disseminate information, reaching more veterans and veteran supporters than ever before.

Long Island is home to one of the highest populations of veterans in the entire country, mostly thanks to the returning-from-war veterans of the older war eras. Sadly, this number will sharply decrease as our fellow veterans age, retire, relocate and ultimately pass away. That is why it is critical for veterans on Long Island to form stronger bonds, network and share their experiences. Check out Anton Media Group’s version of Long Island Veterans Bulletin in the upcoming months for a spotlight on local veterans, supportive organizations, issues and events.

A Day At The Aquarium

In upcoming columns, you can read about the amazing outreach being done by local organizations such as Rolling Thunder Chapter 6 of Long Island and its affiliates like Patriot Guard and Heroes Among Us, or the efforts of service organizations like Veterans of Foreign Wars and American Legion chapters faced with dwindling membership and financial struggles, or the incredible and quite literally, bootson-the-ground initiatives that organizations like Bravo Foxtrot United Veterans are establishing to combat homelessness among veterans right here in your own neighborhoods.

Follow Long Island Veterans Bulletin on Facebook (www. facebook.com/livetsbulletin) for regularly posted information from across both counties and occasionally from regional organizations which benefit Long Island veterans.

–Christy Hinko, managing editor at Anton Media Group and U.S. Navy veteran

Karl V. Anton, Jr., Publisher, Anton Community Newspapers, 1984-2000

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Linda Baccoli

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Publication Office: 132 East Second St., Mineola, NY 11501 Phone: (516) 747-8282 Fax: (516) 742-5867 2023 Long Island Community Newspapers, Inc.

sticks out the most, and is the hardest to get a picture of, would have to be the iridescent blue morpho butterflies. They often travel in pairs and small groups. But once they land and close their wings, you wouldn’t know of their bright colors because the exterior of the wings are a brown, white and yellow pattern. I said to my boyfriend, “it’s like a metaphor that beauty comes from within.”

Besides the butterflies and my corny sayings, we also enjoyed a small exhibit of bugs from around the world that were preserved behind glass, as well as a live beehive that was situated behind glass.

After spending an hour in what looks like heaven, we crossed

the bridge that overlooks a huge pond of various fish, as well as a turtle tank, into where a lot of the exhibits are. We spent a few minutes at each tank, taking a close look at all the fish we could see and being encapsulated by the corals and sea anemones. We even saw some clown fish hanging out in sea anemones, which reminded us of the movie Finding Nemo.

The shark tank is always my favorite. It’s not often you can be face to face with a shark in a situation that wouldn’t be terrifying. Staring at them, you can see they’re amazing creatures.

Something I’ve never seen at the aquarium before, because I never went to look, was the octopus.

Though this one was small in size, he sure was smart. I saw a child put his hand to the tank, and the octopus then reached out to meet his hand behind the glass. I was blown away!

We took time to watch the classic sea lion show, which echoes the shows I’ve watched as a kid when the aquarium was called Atlantis Marine World, and we got to see trainers feed the otters.

We were fished out at the end of the day, and traveled seven minutes to this cute restaurant Funchos. I got one of my favorite foods of all time... nachos. While the nachos were good, I wish the cheese was a bit more melty. But still, I’ll be back.

Celebrating 39 YEARS IN BUSINESS 1984-2023

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The octopus at Long Island Aquarium.

(Photo by Jennifer Corr)

Think back to your favorite memories. For me, it’s always been the family gatherings in my home, whether it’s in celebration of birthdays or holidays. The jokes we’ve shared, the heartfelt conversations, bonding over delicious meals, or bickering over boardgames - I’ve cherished these loving, joyful times with my family. Don’t we all wish for a long life filled with more of these experiences?

It’s not just about living a long life though. It’s about living a long AND good quality life. That means making sure that we have healthy, sound minds for our golden years.

Our minds are something we take for granted and too often, we don’t connect our future to the choices we make in the present. The foods we eat are a type of choice we make multiple times throughout a single day. Breakfast, lunch, dinner, and snacks - these are all choices that build up day after day, and ultimately, they hold a lot of power in our lives. They determine our brain health now and for the future.

I want us to make choices that improve the longevity AND quality of our lives. Dementia and Alzheimer’s are all too common among seniors, and it’s time we

COLUMNS Your Future Brain Will Thank You!

dementia, among other things. They are also an excellent source of antioxidants.

3. Egg yolks are rich in choline, an important chemical in brain development. Studies show that eating eggs has no effect on the cholesterol levels of healthy adults and they might, in fact, help raise good cholesterol levels.

ALL ARROWS POINT BACK TO NUTRITION

fortify our minds and set them up for the best future.

Below are our Top 10 Dellonutritionals-approved brain foods. Make an active effort to implement them into your daily lives. Your future brain will thank you.

1. Avocados are full of good fats. They also contain vitamin K and folate, which help prevent blood clots in the brain and improve memory and concentration.

2. Leafy, green vegetables like spinach are filled with vitamins and minerals that help fight

4. Broccoli helps keep your memory sharp thanks to its high levels of vitamin K and choline.

5. Beans help stabilize blood sugar levels. Since the brain is dependent on blood sugar for fuel, beans are great at providing a steady stream of energy.

6. Eating a handful of walnuts a day has proven to help improve your cognitive health. Walnuts are high in antioxidants, vitamins, and minerals.

7. Research suggests that certain spices like cinnamon, cumin, and cilantro can help preserve your memory.

8. Studies suggest that Omega-3 fatty acids found in fish may help alleviate depression. If you don’t like fish, you can always take Omega-3 supplements instead, but make sure they are purified!

9. Dark chocolate has powerful

tration as well as stimulate the

production of hormones that improve mood. The darker the chocolate, the healthier, so go for at least 80% cocoa. You can also try adding cocoa powder in hot water for a chocolate treat!

10. Hydration is essential to keeping the brain working properly. Aim for 8 glasses of water per day, or more if you are exercising or spending time outdoors

Savor The Moment

Spring is finally here, and brighter days are upon us. It’s a perfect time for families to take advantage of the warm weather and get their kids outside and away from screens.

Smartphones, gaming systems and screens are everywhere. They are in our homes, bedrooms, offices, vehicles, pockets and purses. When your child is using a device, they are disengaging with something else. They often miss out on the fun and beauty that is happening all around them.

According to the Centers for Disease Control (CDC), children ages 8-10 spend about 6 hours a day in front of a screen for entertainment, and half of that time is spent watching television. Those hours gradually increase among older youth.

Reducing screen time affords your child more opportunities to connect with family and friends. Feeling connections with others can help ward off symptoms of stress, depression and anxiety. It can also help improve

PARENTING PLUS

their physical and emotional well-being and strengthen family relationships.

How parents can better manage their child’s screen time

1. Ensure your child has at least 1-2 hours of physical activity each day. This can improve their mood and afford opportunities for creativity, collaboration and executive functioning.

Whether it’s taking a walk, riding a bike, playing a sport or

dancing to their favorite song, just make sure they are moving.

2. Adjust their screen time to no more than 1-2 hours per day and avoid use after dinner. If they are watching TV, make sure they sit far enough away from the set. Screens emit short-wavelength blue light that shines brightly and right in your face. This exposure impairs melatonin production and interferes with your ability to fall asleep as well as with the quality of your sleep once you do nod off.

3. Manage the environment by removing devices from your child’s room. TV sets can be placed in common family areas. Make sure to dedicate space for laptops and phones to be stored during tech breaks.

4. Encourage other types of social activities to promote fun and wellness. Arrange outdoor playdates, participate in chalk activities, rock painting, scavenger hunts, planting/gardening, or obstacles courses. You can

also play board games or allow your child the autonomy to create a game, inspiring them to design rules, learn to troubleshoot conflict which helps build their confidence and enhances their communication and interpersonal skills.

How parents can manage their own screen time

Parents should establish time in their own schedule¬ to join their child in having fun! Since parents are always modeling behaviors for their child here are some helpful tips to reduce their own screen usage.

1. Put your phone face down and place it out of reach when engaging in a conversation. When you commit to a conversation, focus all your energy on staying present in the moment. You will find that discussions are more enjoyable and effective when you immerse yourself in them.

2. Turn off or pause your notifications. Getting notified every time you hear a ping from a message dropping or an e-mail

possible. It causes havoc in the body.

Our daily choices matter, and our dietary choices hold so much power in our lives. It’s why I’m so passionate about nutrition and empowering people to make important and necessary changes in their diet. Here’s to eating better for our body and our brain!

Maria Dello, Nutritionist at Dello Nutritionals

arriving can cause you to become distracted and pull your attention away from spending time with your family or fully participating in an activity.

3. Replace screen time with productive activities around the house. Pick small decluttering projects somewhere in your home, like that messy drawer in your kitchen or the pile of papers on your desk and whip it into shape. Household clutter can make people depressed and overwhelmed, especially if you’re working from home. Remember the importance of being present and savor the moment!

Bio: Kathy Rivera, LCSW, is the Executive Director/CEO of North Shore Child & Family Guidance Center, Long Island’s leading non-profit children’s mental health organization. To get help for your child or to support the Guidance Center’s life-saving work, call (516) 626-1971 or visit www. northshorechildguidance.org.

Nutritionist

Maria Dello

Kathy Rivera

John Fogerty’s Fave Baseball Players

BY DAVE GIL DE RUBIO editorial@antonmediagroup.com

In the pantheon of baseball-related songs, John Fogerty’s “Centerfield” takes its place front and center with its nods to Hall of Famers Joe DiMaggio, Willie Mays and Ty Cobb, all who patrolled that part of the outfield. With spring training and Opening Day behind us, avowed baseball fan Fogerty is celebrating the new season by hitting the road. But what makes 2023 a year for the California native to be jazzed about is his having finally acquired the worldwide copyright to the Creedence Clearwater Revival catalog, a rich trove of material that produced 14 consecutive top 10 singles between 1969 and 1971 and five consecutive top 10 albums—with nearly all of the songs penned by Fogerty alone. And while the Rock & Roll Hall of Famer pointed out the battle for those intellectual rights dates back to CCR’s origins (“The ownership was handed over the second the contract was signed in early 1968,”) he’s finally at peace now that his ownership rights have been restored.

“It’s a big relief now and I just don’t have to worry about that now,” he said.

“It was wrong of course, but I’m in a celebratory mood for sure. I’m just happy that I’m still here and I get to share this with my fans and also with my family, which is such a large part of my musical journey at this point.”

And during all those decades while Fogerty battled for his songs behind the scenes, his love of baseball has been the lifelong joy that’s sustained him dating back to his childhood. Early memories include his pop talking about the Yankees and Babe Ruth when the CCR founding member was around three or four. And

with no major league baseball teams west of the Mississippi River, Fogerty’s early rooting interests were with the San Francisco Seals, a Pacific Coast League team that was home to all the DiMaggio brothers. Other hardball connections came from rooting for minor league outfits the Oakland Acorns (where Billy Martin got his start and Casey Stengel had a brief managing stint) and the Oakland Oaks (brother Jim was a batboy for them). But it would be Charlie Finley’s Oakland Athletics who Fogerty gave his allegiance to when the team moved to the Bay Area in 1969.

“The team that became mine was the Oakland A’s, but that happened slowly,” Fogerty recalled. “I watched the Giants and Dodgers, of course. But in the early ‘70s, the Oakland A’s, who were just down the road from where I lived, became very good and went to the World Series. During all of that, I just went with it. I went to the third World Series, I believe. There came a time, after all that success, where the team became pretty pedestrian and rather ordinary and they were having a rough time of it, like so many cities that I’ve gone to all over the country. Some people would call them the Oakland AAAs. I know when Billy Martin came to town, he was wearing out the arms of the pitchers. I then realized that these were my guys. I’m for the underdog and that sort of thing so it was at that moment that the Oakland A’s became my team.”

On this day, Fogerty’s favorite players weren’t automatically tied to the team whose uniforms former team owner Finley described as “Kelly green, wedding gown white and Fort Knox gold.”

John Fogerty will be appearing on April 28 at Radio City Music Hall, 1260 Sixth Ave., NYC. For more information, visit www.radiocity.com or call 866-858-0008

Lou Gehrig (New York Yankees)

“Lou Gehrig is at the top of the list. I read a book when I was in third grade called Lou Gehrig: Boy of the Sand Lots It might have been the first actual book that I read. This was an actual book at my school library that I checked out, took home and read three or four times. I now have a copy of it. He had just this amazing career with the Yankees.”

Reggie Jackson

(Kansas City/Oakland Athletics; Baltimore Orioles; New York Yankees; California Angels)

“Around the time “Centerfield” came out, someone asked me what my best moment would be in baseball if I was a player and I said I thought my favorite thing would be in a World Series game, where I’m on second base and Reggie Jackson is at the plate and hits a walk-off homerun to win the game. So I’m in the game, but I’m not the hero. That’s kind of who I am, that’s kind of my personality. My wife is always giving me the elbow to take credit for doing something. I’m not the guy doing it, I’m the guy who appreciates it.”

Bryce Harper (Washington Nationals; Philadelphia Phillies)

“Bryce Harper is someone that I’m really watching. When he first came up, I was toggling between him and Mike Trout. I was into Trout, because he was here in L.A. I didn’t know much about Bryce. But those two are both destined to open a new wing in the Hall of Fame. I’m really encouraged by both of those guys, because they’re kids still. You can say a whole lot of people. I’ll go with Bryce for now.”

John Fogerty

(Photo by Lee Cherry)

Recently Sold HOMES

HOME & DESIGN Safe Gates Help Save Lives

Drowning is the leading cause of death in children between the ages of one and four years old, with an average of 11 fatal and 22 non-fatal drownings per day. The majority of the children that drown in swimming pools most commonly gain access to the pool area through a faulty fence or gate.

This sumptuous custom-built brick colonial situated on a little less than a half of an acre at 38 School St. in East Williston sold on April 4 for $2,300,000. With more than 4,600 square-feet of living space, this home offers six spacious bedrooms and four bathrooms including a primary bedroom with two walk-in closets and a resort-like ensuite. The home has custom moldings, gleaming rift and quartersawn white oak hardwood floors throughout. The chef’s eat-in-kitchen includes a Wolf 48-inch range with a double oven, a 48-inch SubZero refrigerator, two dishwashers and a sizeable center island with a serving pantry perfect for entertaining. The back of the home is flooded with natural light and allows for a perfect view of the oversized backyard. The home features a blend of formal and comfortable living space including a formal dining room, den, family room, and office with custom bookshelves. The home has a large walk-up attic and a basement with plenty of storage. There are two fireplaces and the home has fullhouse speaker system, a three-level dumbwaiter and a detached two-car garage with its own attic. The home has eight zones of gas heat, a four-zone central cooling system and in-ground sprinklers.

This lovely all brick split level home on a 9,200-square-foot lot at 2 Coleman Dr. in East Williston sold on March 10 for $993,600. This light, bright and airy home boasts an open floor plan, generously sized bedrooms, a living room with built-ins and a fireplace. It has a formal dining room, an eat-in-kitchen, and a primary bedroom ensuite with an updated bathroom and a walk-in closet. The lower level has a den with French doors leading to a patio, a powder room and an office that has potential to be a fourth bedroom. There is also access to a two-car garage. The home has 200 amps of electric, gas heating, central air conditioning and has hardwood floors throughout. The kitchen and bathroom need to be updated, but the home is freshly painted and has great bones. It is in close proximity to Northside Elementary School, shopping, dining, a park and the train station. This home is in the Wheatley School District.

Combined with constant child supervision and other layers of protection, physically checking your pool gate and maintaining your pool gate regularly to ensure it self-closes and self-latches at all times could help prevent drownings, yet only 30 percent of pool owners check the safety of their pool gate once a year. You should not be able to open a gate without activating the release mechanism, which should be out of the reach of toddlers, additionally, the gate should self-close and selflatch without assistance.

A few minutes is all it takes for pool owners to check that their pool fences and gates are in good working order. This simple routine done regularly could help save the life of a child.

Safety checklist for pool gates

• Gates should open outwards, away from the pool

• Latch release knob should be out of reach of toddlers under five years old (check local codes/standards for minimum requirements)

• Fence should be at a minimum height

• Gates must be self-closing and self-latching

• Fence perimeter should have

adequate distance from other climbable objects or structures

• Gate hinges are reliable, tension-adjustable, self-closing and rust-free

• Latch cannot be key-locked in the “open” position

• Latch cannot be opened using implements or force

• Latch must be adjustable horizontally and vertically to accommodate gate movement

• Maximum clearance from finished ground surface is no more than 4”

• Gate will latch from any position, including from resting on the latching mechanism

• Gate complies with all relevant Codes/Standards and legislation for pool safety

• Incorporate multiple layers of protection

It is critical to check your local pool codes for compliance, as local codes may vary. Visit www. us.ddtech.com and www.ndpa.org for more information on pool safety and compliance.

—D&D Technologies

Homes shown here represent closed sales, sold by a variety of agencies and are selected for their interest to readers by the Anton Media Group editor. Except where noted, data and photos are provided courtesy of Multiple Listing Service of Long Island, Inc. and Zillow.

Girls Inc. Of Long Island Receives $150,000 Grant

Girls Inc. of Long Island is excited to announce that it has received a $150,000 grant from Bank of America to help young girls break gender barriers and improve workforce equity on Long Island. The funding will help launch the new Bold Future Leaders (BFL) initiative, a weekly community program and summer leadership series that fosters bold, successful futures for high school girls (grades 9-12).

According to a recent survey by the Hauppauge Industrial Association (HIA-LI), an advocacy organization that promotes economic development on Long Island, one-third of the 200 executives polled cited workforce challenges as a great concern. Through a focus on leadership development, economic literacy, and college and career preparedness, Girls Inc.’s BFL program aims to increase participants’ access and exposure to careers in historically male-dominated fields and close the gender gap in various industries, including STEM. Participants in the program will learn the importance of managing and taking steps toward self-reliance and success.

Girls Inc. of Long Island’s comprehensive and research-driven approach helps develop girls’ interpersonal relationships, leadership skills, essential life skills, and confidence, thus equipping girls to be our community’s next leaders and empowering them to be future change-makers on Long Island. BFL provides unique experiences for high school girls, including a private mock career fair that Girls Inc. hosted early this year. Participants came dressed for interviews, with their resumes, and networked with representatives from some of Long

Island’s biggest companies, such as Bank of America, Cox Media, and the NY Islanders.

“Girls need real-life exposure to unique and interesting careers that they wouldn’t normally have access to,” said Renee Flagler, Executive Director of Girls Inc. of Long Island. “We’re excited and grateful to be partnering with Bank of America in their efforts to build a future generation of skilled, talented, and successful women.”

“Investing in women – from Bank of America employees to teens across Long Island – is vital for building a more equitable and sustainable future in the workplace,” said Marc Perez, President, Bank of America Long Island. “Supporting Girls Inc. of Long Island’s Bold Future

Leaders program will help cultivate the next generation of leaders by equipping young women with the skills and resources to achieve their professional dream.

In addition to BFL, Bank of America is partially funding Girls Inc. of Long Island’s first summer golf clinics for middle and high school girls. In the United States, some golf clubs still only allow men to become members. The discrimination that occurs in golf can create an unwelcoming environment for women interested in pursuing the sport, especially women of color. According to the Black Girls Golf Foundation, “African American women make up less than 1 percent of the golf industry workforce.” Despite the saturation of golf courses on

Long Island, these exclusive clubs remain largely inaccessible to girls and girls of color. During Girls Inc.’s two week-long summer golf clinics, participants will learn the ins and outs of golf – from the game itself to the surrounding industry and the world of women’s collegiate golf scholarships, dozens of which go unfilled due to the sport’s social and systemic barriers to entry.

With the generous support of Bank of America, the organization will continue to work to increase girls’ exposure to college and career opportunities, enabling them to have a pathway to success and Long Island employers to develop a new stream of future workers.

The Fresh Air Fund Is Looking For New Volunteer Host Families

Looking for volunteers on Long Island to host a New York City child

The Fresh Air Fund is looking for new volunteer families to host a New York City child, ages 8 to 14, for one week this summer with The Fresh Air Fund’s Friendly Towns program because a summer can last a lifetime. Enjoy the simple pleasures of summer when you host a Fresh Air child.

A Fresh Air visit to a volunteer host family is full of fun experiences like playing in the backyard, riding bicycles, swimming,

hiking, catching fireflies, gazing at the stars and making new friends. Volunteer host families live in small towns, suburban and rural communities along the East Coast. Every host family goes through a rigorous screening process including a home visit, background check, interview and reference check.

“Volunteer host families can create lifelong connections, gain new perspectives and make memories that will

last a lifetime. By volunteering as a host family on Long Island, New York, you will expand opportunities for New York City children living in underserved communities to help them learn, grow and thrive in the summer and beyond,” says Lisa Gitelson, The Fund’s Chief Executive Officer.

For more information about The Fresh Air Fund’s host volunteer program, please visit www.FreshAir.org/Host. Since its

founding in 1877, The Fresh Air Fund, a not-for-profit youth development organization, has provided free life-changing summer experiences in the outdoors to more than 1.8 million children from New York City’s underserved communities. Young people also participate in yearround leadership, career exploration and educational programs.

—Submitted by Fresh Air Fund

Girls Inc. Bold Future Leaders participants pose with Bank of America representatives at their mock career fair in February. (Photo by Girls, Inc.)

AROUND LONG ISLAND

Vanderbilt Opens Outdoor Sculpture Exhibition

The Vanderbilt Museum recently debuted Wendy Klemperer: Wrought Taxonomies, the first exhibition of outdoor sculpture at the historic summer estate of William Kissam Vanderbilt II. The exhibit will run through April 2024.

Wendy Klemperer’s sculptures—a haunting assemblage of animal forms that span imaginary, endangered, familiar, and exotic species—celebrate natural history and the nonhuman world through evocative interactions with the surrounding environment. Using materials salvaged from scrapyards, she composes ecological narratives that respond to the history and collections of Suffolk County’s first public park and museum. Her brilliant use of gestural lines captures the spectator’s attention and invites museumgoers to reflect on the relationship between an interest in animal life and the incessant push of human industry.

Wrought Taxonomies is the inaugural exhibition in the Vanderbilt Museum’s outdoor sculpture program and the institution’s second exhibition of contemporary art focused on the relationship between culture and animals.

The Vanderbilt Museum occupies the former Gold Coast estate of William Kissam Vanderbilt II, the great-grandson of Corneilius Vanderbilt and a pioneer of American motorsport. Located in Centerport on the north shore of Long Island, it is renowned for its extensive marine and natural history collections, Spanish revival architecture, and picturesque parklands. All sculptures are viewable with general admission to the Museum grounds. Educational programs and workshops associated with themes and content of Wendy Klemperer: Wrought Taxonomies will be offered throughout the exhibition. A special thanks is due to the Robert David Lion Gardiner Foundation, whose generous support made Wrought Taxonomies possible.

—Submitted by the Vanderbilt Museum

The Vanderbilt Museum Presents Astronomy Day Science Demos, Hands-on Projects, Telescope Viewing

The Vanderbilt Museum’s Reichert Planetarium will celebrate Astronomy Day 2023 on Saturday, April 29 beginning at 11:00 a.m. Astronomy Day at the Vanderbilt is part of an international celebration of educational programs designed to engage audiences in the awe-inspiring fields of Earth and space science. Daytime activities are free to all visitors who pay general admission. Evening observing is free.

Daytime program – 11:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m.

This Vanderbilt STEM education event will include exciting science, take-home materials, and engaging discussion about science and society. Participants will create nebula spin art, investigate constellations, explore craters, and much more!

These fun activities introduce guests to the ongoing research happening at NASA in the fields of Earth science, planetary

science, and astrophysics. Astronomy educators will perform free Earth science and astronomy demonstrations for adults and children. Toolkits for these demonstrations were developed by the National Informal Science Education Network (NISE NET).

There will be several sessions during the day where members of the Astronomical Society of Long Island, an astronomy club based at the Planetarium, will be offering a brief overview of what you should consider before buying a telescope. After the talk, club members will be available to answer questions and to understand your specific interests, budget, and goals. Times for the sessions will be posted so you can plan to attend at your convenience.

Evening program – 8:00 to 10:00 pm

The Reichert Planetarium Astronomy Educators and the Astronomical Society of Long Island will set up telescopes

in the Rose Garden adjacent to the Planetarium. Visitors will have a chance to see close-up views of the Moon and other celestial highlights in the nighttime sky. Telescopes are available to visitors of all ages and will be free.

Astronomical Society of Long Island member Ed Anderson will conduct brief sky tours to show you what can be seen with your eyes alone and how binoculars can enhance this experience. If you have binoculars of any size, you are invited to bring them. There will be a limited number available for use during the session. Ed will show you the proper way to adjust binoculars and use them to enhance your enjoyment of the sky.

Note: All daytime planetarium show tickets include general admission (access to the exhibits in the Vanderbilt Mansion, Marine Museum, all grounds and gardens, and our Astronomy Day celebration).

Photo by Alex Nuñez

Gericroix (Pegasus), 2023.

(Photo by Vanderbilt Museum)

Red Fox, 2020. (Photo by Vanderbilt Museum)

Leader of the Pack, 2014.

(Photo by Vanderbilt Museum)

WE LOVE OUR PETS The Great Anton Media Group Fish Adventure

ften when people think of goldfish, they think of round fish bowls, carnivals and a low maintenance pet. And that’s what Jennifer Corr, an editor here at Anton Media Group, thought about goldfish too, until 2017 when her life turned upside down.

“It started with getting in a car to head to a Christian camp in Upstate New York as a camp counselor,” Corr said. “Another counselor was driving, and I looked down and saw a giant plastic bag of goldfish in a tote bag. The counselor planned to use them in a game for campers. I was worried for them, but the other counselor had assured me he had a tank ready for when we got upstate. Driving upstate on a hot summer day is hard enough for humans, but imagine being a goldfish stuck in a sealed plastic bag. Fish started floating to the top, lifeless, one by one.”

Once they all got to the camp, it was revealed there was no tank. All there was to use was some old containers.

“The other counselor told me to save the dead fish for the game too, so I started separating the fish by dead or alive in the containers inside the chapel,” Corr said.

“When the game was over, the counselor brought the live fish to me and told me they’re my responsibility now. And it was my duty to toss the dead fish in the dumpster. As the days went by, the fish died one by one, and on the last day, I was told I had to take the last fish home. I named him Hope.”

Hope had quite an excruciating ride home in a car with no heater, but he made it through. He went from a food container to a round fishbowl, to a five-gallon tank and eventually a 10-gallon tank.

“I didn’t want him to be lonely, so I got another one, but then Hope got sick and died,

The miraculous journey from tank to pond

so I had to buy another fish, and so on,” Corr said.

“This went on for seven years.”

But eventually, with a fish named Razorback, Corr decided not to buy another fish to end this fish dynasty.

But Razorback decided to live for four years.

“Being alone, besides having some tiny cory catfish and snails share the tank, Razorback grew huge,” Corr said.

“He also seemed too smart for his lifestyle, as he would get excited when he thought he

was going to be fed. So when I heard my fellow editor’s father had a koi pond, I thought I would ask if he would be willing to take it.”

“While the majority of the fish are koi, some are goldfish or a mix,” said Julie Prisco, an editor at Anton Media Group. “[My father Charles Prisco] started out with a small pond in his backyard with only a few koi fish. After learning more about how to maintain a healthy pond environment for koi, he expanded his pond. The new and improved pond is about 16 feet

wide, goes as deep as four feet, and is as shallow as 18 inches. The pond has two waterfalls, bubblers and a filtration system to keep the water clean. The pond has been running smoothly for six years now, with some six-year-old fish and a few four and five-year-old fish that were born in the pond.”

April 3 was moving day for Razorback. Corr, with the help of her father, put him in a travel container. Both were splashed in the process. And Corr set him down on the floor of the passenger seat.

“I was seven minutes away from work, exiting onto the Meadowbrook State Parkway, and while I was inside a tunnel, all of a sudden all the cars in front of me came to a screeching halt due to an accident up ahead,” Corr said. “That’s when I heard the splash.”

Corr looked down and saw the travel tank was on its side, and Razorback was flopping around. She put the travel tank on her lap, while navigating Nassau County traffic, and began emptying any water bottles she could find in her car. Luckily, due to her laziness in bringing things in at the end of the day, she had enough to sustain him.

After making a frenzied trip to Target, and then PetSmart, for treated fish water, he somehow survived and became the most popular guy at Anton Media Group that day. After the editorial meeting, Prisco brought Razorback to his new life.

Since that day, Prisco reports that Razorback is doing very well.

“Razorback is the newest addition to the pond and has blended in smoothly,” Prisco said. “He darted around the large pond in a frenzy for the first few days, becoming acclimated with the new space and new fish friends. After about a week, Razorback adjusted to the size and has mellowed out. [Charles] Prisco often spots him following the largest fishes closely, presumably learning their routines and the ways of the new pond.”

Razorback in Anton Media Group’s editorial office (Photo by Jennifer Corr)

Charles Prisco’s pond (Photo by Julie Prisco)

SPONSORED BY ORLIN & COHEN

Brendan O’Brien: Excelling In Baseball And Academics

BY JENNIFER CORR jcorr@antonnews.com

An excellent student and athlete, Brendan O’Brien, a junior at Oyster BayEast Norwich High School, was an obvious choice when the district was asked to highlight a great athlete. O’Brien was called up to play for the Varsity Boy’s Baseball team last year, and will continue to play for the team through next year. He is playing under Coach Jeffrey Schiereck.

“He’s a very large influence in our athletics across the board,” said Eric Bramoff, the director of phys ed, health and athletics at the Oyster BayEast Norwich Central School District. “He personifies the idea of student athlete. He takes his grades very seriously.

He is a model student in terms of behavior... He’s really a role model for not only the students of Oyster Bay, but he’s also a role model for his younger brother [a freshman on the varsity team] who is coming up through the ranks.”

O’Brien began playing baseball when he was around 5-years-old.

“I’ve always been a big Yankee fan,” O’Brien said. “It’s just something I’ve always had on my T.V. Baseball has just been something I’ve always been doing.”

And a successful career it’s been. The following are his stats:

-Batting average: .526

-Slugging percentage: .789

-RBIs: 6

-On-base percentage: .571

Pitching stats

-2.00 ERA

-1-0

-7 innings pitched

-4 strike outs

And in the future, O’Brien plans to play in college. “I really love it and I can’t see myself giving it up anytime soon,”

O’Brien said. He added that he is considering pursuing a business major.

But right now, O’Brien said his favorite subject is history. He said he has a 3.9 GPA.

“We’re hoping this is going to be one of our Ivy League baseball players,” said Bramoff.

“We are proud of him.”

Brendan O’Brien, a junior at Oyster Bay-East Norwich High School.

(Photos courtesy Oyster Bay-East Norwich Central School District Athletics)

IN MEMORIAM JOSEPH SCOTCHIE

Joe Pep: He Sure Did Make Us Proud

jscotchie@antonmediagroup.com

Joe Pepitone, the Brooklyn-born New York Yankee All Star, was the team’s link from its championship run in the early 1960s to its agonizing dry period in the mid-and-late 1960s to the rebuilding process that resulted in more titles in the late 1970s and early 1980s.

Pepitone, who died last month at age 82, was born to be a Yankee. He was a lefty slugger from the sandlots of Brooklyn with a swing tailor-made for Yankee Stadium’s short right field porch. At Brooklyn’s Manual Training High School, Pepi was being touted as a possible $100,000 bonus baby signee. In the Fifties, New York public schools were already deep into their Blackboard Jungle phase. Zip guns were all the craze among feral youth. One day, one of Pepitone’s classmates was showing off his newly constructed piece. The boy actually stuck the gun in the 17-year-old Pepitone’s stomach---and pulled the trigger. The teenager survived. However, his value as a ballplayer went down markedly. He ended up signing with the Bombers for $20,000. Something else happened. Three days after the shooting, Pepitone’s father, then only 39, died of a heart attack.

Pepitone didn’t disappoint. After several years in the minors, the husky first baseman was ready for the big leagues. Pepitone played part time for the 1962 World Championship team. The Yankee front office thought so highly of Pepitone that they were willing to trade veteran first baseman Bill Skowron to the Los Angeles Dodgers to make room for Pepi.

It worked. Pepitone was popular with fans and teammates alike. He was productive too, belting 27 home runs, while driving in 89 runs in 1963 and 28 home runs and a career-high 100 runs batted in 1964. The Bombers kept winning, taking the American League flag in the 1962, 1963, and 1964, while snagging the 1962 World Series in a heart-stopping 1-0 seventh game win over the San Francisco Giants.

Pepitone at first, along with Bobby Richardson at second, Clete Boyer at third and Tony Kubek at shortstop formed the Yanks’ Million Dollar infield, a name inspired by the Million Dollar Movie highly popular among New York viewers in those pre-cable television days.

Pepitone was also part of a new breed of athletes that began to emerge in the

mid-1960s: Hipsters who sported long hair, while wearing expensive threads, questioning authority (including their coaches), and performing with a certain flair on the field. Pepitone was no Muhammad Ali or Joe Namath. He did make a name for himself by introducing blow driers into locker rooms. No greasy kid stuff---and no Brylcreem, either.

The man had a troubled life. After losing the 1964 World Series to the St. Louis Cardinals in seven games, Yankee management panicked, firing first year manager Yogi Berra, a short-sighted move that haunted the franchise for years. (When the Yanks did win the American flag in 1976, skipper Billy Martin had brought back Yogi as a bench coach.) Overnight, the Yankees grew old. Richardson, Kubek, and Whitey Ford retired. Boyer, Roger Maris, and Elston Howard were traded. After the 1966 season, Mickey Mantle was moved to first base. An unhappy Pepitone was transferred to centerfield. The man didn’t care for the moves, but he was the team’s most productive player in those nightmare years when it all seemed to be coming apart: The South Bronx neighborhood, New York City, and the country itself.

Pepitone was a good soldier. By 1969, the great Mantle had retired, itself a liberating experience. The Yanks could now begin anew. That year, Pepitone played with Bobby Murcer, Roy White and Thurman Munson, young stars who would lead the team to winning records in the early 1970s, themselves a prelude to the championship run of 1976 to 1981.

In 1969, Pepitone was traded to the Houston Astros for Curt Blefary, another lefty hitter who was also a native New Yorker. Blefary didn’t work out. But the trade set certain wheels in motion. Danny Cater was the Yanks’ first baseman in both 1970 and 1971. After a subpar ’71, Cater was traded to Boston for ace reliever Sparky Lyle. That was the pivotal deal that sent the Bombers on the path to late 1970s glory.

Pepitone played for Houston, the Chicago Cubs, and the Atlanta Braves before ending his career with a stint with the Yakult Atoms in Japan’s Nippon Professional Baseball’s Central League.

In his 1975 mournful and brutally honest autobiography, Joe You Coulda Made Us Proud, the man recalled an exchange with his grandfather. The crusty old timer gave his grandson a five-dollar bill. “Congratulations,” the old man said (as best can recall). “Take this money, go to the butcher, buy some brains and put them in your head.”

What? This then-teenage reader thought. No shame in the Japan Leagues. Numerous major leagues have made that

same trek once their time in the American big leagues comes to an end. Alas, Pepitone spent less than a year in Japan.

Out of baseball, Pepitone struggled. He suffered several brush-ups with the law, being arrested for drug possession and even spending time at New York’s notorious Riker’s Island. A 2018 profile on Pepitone in New York magazine revealed a man still suffering emotional scars from that long-ago incident at Manual High School. Pepi recalled that a physician told him: “A fraction of an inch either way, you would have been dead.” “To this day, I don’t like talking about it, because it brings back really bad memories,” he told New York. “As I say, I was 17 years old.”

Joe Pepitone was a Yankee. And a proud one. Always popular, too. Yankee fans remained forever grateful for the way he carried the banner of Yankee pride in those dark days of the late 1960s. He later served as a Yankees’ coach. He received moving ovations at annual Old Timers Day events, themselves the final of rite of passage for any Yankee great.

It was the fans way of saying: Joe Pep, you always made us proud.

PSEG Long Island Reminds You To Call 811 Before You Start A Project

PSEG Long Island reminds customers, contractors and excavators that the law requires them to call 811 before digging to ensure underground pipelines, conduits, wires and cables are properly marked out.

Every digging project, even a small project like planting a tree or building a deck, requires a call to 811. It’s the law. The call is free and the mark-out service is free. The call must be made whether the job is being performed by a professional or a do-it-yourselfer. Striking an underground electrical line can cause serious injury and outages, and result in repair costs and fines.

“It’s spring once again, and people on Long Island and in the Rockaways are starting outdoor improvements to their homes and businesses. Calling 811 ahead of time helps protect underground utility lines and, more importantly, the safety of anyone digging,” said Michael Sullivan, PSEG Long Island’s vice president of Transmission and Distribution Operations. “Customers are getting the message. Last year there were more than 215,000 mark-out requests in our service area, and so far this year, there have been more than 44,000 requests to 811.”

According to Common Ground Alliance, a member-driven association of nearly 1,800 individuals and 250 member companies in every facet of the underground utility industry, 40% of active diggers in North America do not call 811 because they think their project is too shallow to require it. All digging projects require a call to 811.

A free call to 811 in the service area automatically connects the caller to the local New York one-call center, which collects information about digging projects. The onecall center then provides the information to the utility companies, which send representatives to mark the locations of nearby underground lines with flags, paint or both. Once lines have been properly marked and

confirmation from all of the utility owners is received, projects may proceed as long as caution is used around the marked areas.

Here’s important information to consider:

• Underground gas and electric lines are everywhere, even on private properties. These facilities can be easily damaged if dug into, with the potential to cause serious injuries. Digging into these lines can also disrupt vital utility services, resulting in costly delays, expensive repairs and environmental or property damage.

• Whether the job is a major home improvement project or something as simple as a fence or mailbox post, a call to 811 must be placed beforehand to determine where it’s safe to dig.

• Call 811 at least two business days before the commencement of each job to have underground pipes, wires and equipment located. Each facility owner must respond by providing the excavator with a positive confirmation indicating that marks are in place where utility lines are buried or that there are no existing facilities in the area of the proposed work. This service is free of charge.

• Be sure to wait until all of the utilities have responded. Don’t dig until lines have been marked or you have received confirmation that the area is clear of facilities.

• Property owners must maintain and respect the marks. Always hand dig within 2 feet of marked lines to find the existing facilities before using mechanized equipment.

• If gas lines are damaged or there is a gas smell when excavating, call 911 immediately from a safe area.

Calling before you dig is more than a good idea − it’s the law. Additional information, including a booklet on safe excavating practices and the protection of underground facilities, can be found on the PSEG Long Island website.

—Submitted by PSEGLI

PSEG Long Island Partners With Google For Energy Savings

PSEG Long Island has partnered with Google to provide customers the gift of energy savings. Customers can get a Google Nest Thermostat at a price 93% below retail value. The promotion runs from now into July.

With a smart thermostat, customers can create a heating and cooling schedule from their smart device that can help them remain comfortable and save money.

OFFER DETAILS: Now through July 10, 2023, customers can visit PSEG Long

Island’s Energy Efficiency Marketplace at www.psegliny.com/marketplace to get a Google Nest Thermostat ($129.99 retail value) for $9.99. The customer whose name is associated with the account must place the order. Please check your most recent electric bill. Each qualifying residential customer account is limited to one smart thermostat. The customer is responsible for all applicable sales tax and shipping charges.

—Submitted by PSEGLI

WORD FIND

HOROSCOPES By Holiday Mathis

HOROSCOPES

HOROSCOPES

By Holiday Mathis

This is a theme puzzle with the subject stated below. Find the listed words in the grid. (They may run in any direction always in a straight line. Some letters are used more than once.) Ring each word as you find it and when you have pleted the puzzle, there will be 19 letters left over. They spell out the alternative theme of the puzzle.

By Holiday Mathis

ARIES (March 21-April 19). You’re aware that people are constantly sending signals to the world about who they are, what they aspire to and where they’d like to t in. You’ll note how much of this comes through what a person chooses to wear and say, and you’ll make tweaks to your own style this week, too.

TAURUS (April 20-May 20). ere’s a time and place for sharing your feelings. In some friend groups, family cultures and societies, it seems like there’s a ban on feelings. Finding the appropriate time and place to share will be key, though with the right people you’ll feel so unconditionally accepted that it will be unnecessary to manage emotions with such strictness.

GEMINI (May 21-June 21). You want to be around people you admire today. Tune into how you feel around them. In the early stages, it’s enough to think someone is wonderful, but it’s not worth continuing unless you also feel wonderful around them. It’s good to remind yourself that how you feel around someone is as important as how you feel about them.

CANCER (June 22-July 22). From bud to husk, every stage has its own kind of loveliness. You like the sort of things that don’t need much maintenance -- things that grow on their own and are beautiful in their natural state without a lot of interference from you. Usually, it’s a function of being well matched to the environment.

LEO (July 23-Aug. 22). It would be silly to blame yourself for the negativity bias that’s physiological. Emphasizing the negative has kept humans alive for thousands of years. is week, you’ll counteract the tendency by building positive and lovely things up to a memorable level. If you make it a little weird, on purpose or on accident, it will be all the more unforgettable.

VIRGO (Aug. 23-Sept. 22). Your needs are important. If you dare to pursue them, this week provides you with what’s required for their ful llment, so there’s no need to put it o any longer. Furthermore, the help available is worth paying for. e learning curve is steep. Experts can do it in a fraction of the time it would take you, and for a small price.

LIBRA (Sept. 23-Oct. 23). e more you take on, the more you can do. No one becomes strong, fast or capable by pacing themselves perfectly. ings are too easy, you learn. ings are too hard, you learn. No one can control the ow of life, but you’ll become impressively adept at managing it well.

SCORPIO (Oct. 24-Nov. 21). In matters of self-esteem, one size does not t all. Two people could enact the very same behavior with drastically di erent takeaways. Esteem is a matter of evaluation, and each person’s rating system is highly personal. is week, your self-esteem is on the rise, not necessarily because of what you do but because of how you view and value these actions.

SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 22-Dec. 21). You’re well aware of the precariousness of identifying too strongly with possessions. Anything that can be owned is likely to change hands, change value, require maintenance and deteriorate over time. It is possible to derive pleasure and joy from possessions as long as you accept their ephemeral nature as a given.

CAPRICORN (Dec. 22-Jan. 19). People aren’t trying to get in the way of your work, and yet their very presence can di use or shift your focus and cause you to be far less productive. e best way to deal with distractions is to take measures to prevent them from happening in the rst place.

AQUARIUS (Jan. 20-Feb. 18). Because you are too close to your talent, routine and manner to see what it looks like from the outside, you tend to undervalue your contributions. Don’t be so hard on yourself. What you think of as mistakes, others embrace as part of your o beat style. You’re more e ective than you think.

PISCES (Feb. 19-March 20). e natural world does not run according to justice, righteousness or deservedness. Rights are a human construct. And while it seems that certain dignities should be a birthright, there is no point in history that this has been the case for all. is you’ll take as a calling. You’ll work for equality.

THIS WEEK’S BIRTHDAYS

is solar year brings surges of pride and pleasure in achievements of all kinds. Even as you go for the ones that come with certi cates and remuneration, the wonder of intangible triumphs isn’t lost on you. In retrospect, your favorite accomplishments will be feats of the heart. You will often nd it easy to focus in on what you want, as it will often be in full bloom before you. More highlights: an inspired trade, a stellar connection pays o in an unusual way, and rich rewards for embodying the virtues of compassion, modesty and frugality.

INTERNATIONAL WORD FIND INTERNATIONAL WORD FIND

INTERNATIONAL WORD FIND

A day at the zoo

Solution: 19 Letters

WORD FIND

This is a theme puzzle with the subject stated below. Find the listed words in the grid. (They may run in any direction but always in a straight line. Some letters are used more than once.) Ring each word as you find it and when you have completed the puzzle, there will be 19 letters left over. They spell out the alternative theme of the puzzle.

A day at the zoo

FROM KING FEATURES SYNDICATE, 300 W. 57th STREET, 41st FLOOR, NEW YORK, NY 10019

CUSTOMER SERVICE: (800) 708-7311 EXT. 236

CONTRACT BRIDGE — BY STEVE BECKER

FOR RELEASE THURSDAY, APRIL 20, 2023

CONTRACT BRIDGE

It’s all very logical

Solution:

By Steve Becker

you win with the nine. It is here that you make your bid for fame and glory. You lead the jack of diamonds, and when West covers with the queen, you let him hold the trick!

This unusual maneuver is not an act of charity on your part; rather, it is an avoidance play designed to prevent East from gaining the lead later with a club and playing a spade through your king. Nothing can be lost by allowing West to win the diamond jack with the queen, as you are merely exchanging your club loser for a diamond loser.

The great advantage of ducking West’s queen is that you can now try for a 3-3 club division without running the risk of East gaining the lead with a club.

king

diamonds. Your potential losers are two spades, a diamond and a club, but there’s a chance of escaping a spade loser if the clubs are divided 3-3 or, failing that, if East has the ace of spades.

Your best move at trick one is to duck the king of diamonds. You hope West will shift to a spade or a lead a low diamond, which you’d let run to your jack. Either of these plays would solve your problem immediately.

But West shifts to a trump, which

Regardless of what West does next, you are home. Let’s say he plays another diamond. You discard a club on the ace, cash the ace of trump and A-K of clubs and ruff a club. When the suit divides 3-3, you cross to dummy with a trump and discard a spade on the seven of clubs to make the contract.

Observe that if you fail to make the avoidance play, you go down one against correct defense. Observe also that even if the clubs fail to divide evenly, you can still get back to dummy with a trump to try leading a spade to the king as your last resort.

Weekly Sudoku Puzzle

Enter digits from 1 to 9 into the blank spaces. Every row must contain one of each digit. So must every column, as must every 3x3 square.

Answer to last issue’s Sudoku Puzzle

Answer to last issue’s Crossword Puzzle

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COMPUTER & IT TRAINING PROGRAM!

Train ONLINE to get the skills to become a Computer & Help Desk Professional now! Grants and Scholarships available for certain programs for qualified applicants. Call CTI for details! 844-947-0192 (M-F 8am-6pm ET). Computer with internet is required.

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Pond Exploration At Sands Point Preserve

Discover the fascinating residents of Sands Point Preserve’s freshwater pond environment in an interactive family program led by Biologist and Ranger Eric Powers on April 29, from 10-11 a.m. We’ll get our hands dirty—and maybe even our feet wet—as we use nets, buckets and magnifying lenses for this fun family adventure!

Eric Powers was named the 2020 Long Island Sierra Club Environmentalist of the Year and is the Program Director for Center for Environmental Education & Discovery.

Admission for members is $25 per car; for non-members, $30 per car, and includes parking.

For more information, and for tickets, visit http://sandspointpreserveconservancy.org/ events/pond-exploration-2/

The Sands Point Preserve Conservancy is located at 127 Middle Neck Rd., Sands Point, New York 11050. The telephone number is 516-571-7901.

—Submitted by the Sands Point Preserve Conservancy

George N. Graf

Port Resident Wins University Of Richmond Award

Port Washington resident Arden Tierney is a senior at the University of Richmond where she is a business major with a concentration in marketing. She was elected by the marketing faculty as the Outstanding Marketing Student of 2023. She is pictured here with Bill Bergman, a Robins Teaching Fellow, Instructor of Marketing at the University of Richmond Robins School of Business and a former Port resident. Tierney has been a student in two of Bergman’s marketing classes.

(Information contributed by Bill Bergman)

The pond at Sands Point Preserve (Photo from the Sands Poind Preserve Conservancy website)

George N. Graf, Jr. of Essex, CT died March 30 at 89. A Port Washington native, he graduated from the University of Pennsylvania, with a BS Economics and received his MBA from New York University.

The second oldest member of Manhasset Bay Yacht Club, he served as Commodore and Club Historian, combining his love of history and yachting by publishing A Centennial History 1891-1991 He is survived by wife Phyllis Cotter, daughters

Sally and Andy Gold, Susan Graf, Dr. Jennifer and Andrew Glassman and Kimberly Graf. Grandchildren Rachel and Andrew Beska (Ronan, Delaney, Rory), Anna Glassman, Nicky Glassman, Cortland Williams and Kameron Borden.

—Submitted by Susan Graf

KidsPort Summer

Port Washington’s source for summer memories

Kids look forward to summer all year long—for over 20 years, KidsPort Summer has given kids “the best summer ever!” KidsPort Summer at the Port Washington Children’s Center keeps kids in Port Washington engaged, adventurous, and active all summer long. Like all of our childcare programs, our summer program offers enriching experiences for kids to grow. Our Summer Calendar has opportunities to explore the outdoors, develop skills, meet new friends, and discover local adventures.

Summers are made for kids to get out and explore. We are excited to offer structured recreational and educational activities that help children learn and grow over their summer break. Our summer programming helps to ensure that your child continues to build on progress made during the school year. Attending the PWCC KidsPort Summer is an excellent opportunity for kids to have their minds and bodies activated all summer long. This year, we are excited to have more enrichment programming during days on campus - and continue to bring back local performers, activities, and trips that our KidsPort Kids love!

“It is essential for kids to stay socially, physically, and academically engaged over the summer. KidsPort Summer is an amazing way to ensure that,” says Omar Irizarry, Interim School Aged Director at the Port Washington Children’s Center.

“During our summer session, kids are in a welcoming environment at our parkside campus and are free to learn from a range of educators during specialty classes and trips, like weekly trips to Whitney Pond Park

Pool. We are excited to meet new families and create lasting memories with children this summer.”

Irizarry says there are four main reasons why children should attend KidsPort Summer:

1. Wholesome Fun—Summer childcare provides fun and interactive activities that engage the mind and body. Our dietary team creates a nutritious breakfast, lunch, and snack for children and activities provide a good reason to run around.

2. Personal Growth—Everybody is welcome, and everybody is given a chance to grow. Our visits to the pool include swim lessons and our specialty classes help children learn new skills. Our Center follows the emergent approach - we look to create ways to support children’s development of

confidence and foster independence through challenges and responsibilities.

3. Adventure—KidsPort Summer opens kids up to a variety of new experiences. Our daily activities, specialty classes, and weekly themes create new adventures every day.

4. Memories—Summer is full of unforgettable memories with friends, these experiences and traditions last a lifetime. We love seeing returning campers and sharing experiences with our new friends too.

Enrollment is now open for our KidsPort Summer Program. Registration Forms found at pwchildrenscenter.org/kp-summer

PWCC KidsPort Summer offers the following weekly themes:

Week 1: June 26—June 30, Summer Begins

Week 2: July 3—July 7, Explorers Week

Week 3: July 10—July 14, Shark Week

Week 4: July 17 to July 21, Challenger Week

Week 5: July 24 to July 28, Pirate Week

Week 6: July 31 to Aug. 4, Nature Week

Week 7: Aug 7 to Aug. 11, Making Magic

Week 8: Aug 14 to Aug. 18, Broadway Bound

Week 9: Aug 21 to Aug. 25, Clowning Around

Session 1 is June 26 through July 26 and Session 2 is July 27 through Aug. 24. 2023

KidsPort Summer Fees are $2,125 for one session and $3,950 for both sessions. There is a nonrefundable deposit of $250 per child. The Center is closed on July 3 and 4. All trips and meals (breakfast, lunch and snack) are included in the tuition.

Lastly, to fulfill our mission to provide quality child care for working families, the Port Washington Children’s Center offers financial assistance to those in need. If you are interested in helping to send a child to KidsPort Summer Program, please donate at pwchildrenscenter.org/donate

Port Washington Children’s Center is a leading nonprofit childcare center committed to nurturing Port Washington’s children. We have been a leader in childcare in Long Island’s Gold Coast for over 40 years. The Port Washington Children’s Center continues to grow and provide enriching and meaningful experiences for children 18 months through elementary, thanks to our caring staff and teachers.

For more information or to register, please visit pwchildrenscenter.org or contact Omar Irizarry at oirizarry@pwchildrenscenter.org

—Submitted by the Port Washington Children’s Center

Registration Open For Helen Keller Services Summer Camp

July 10-Aug. 11 at Long Island University CW Post

Registration is open for the Helen Keller Services (HKS) summer camp, “Camp Helen Keller,” a five-week day camp experience for children age 7 to 14 who are blind or have low vision, being held this summer, from July 10 to Aug. 11 at the Long Island University CW Post campus, located at 720 Northern Blvd., Greenvale, NY 11548.

Camp Helen Keller is a summer program created more than 60 years ago for children ages five to 15 who are blind or visually impaired. Its main goal is to improve participants’ self-esteem, self-confidence, and socialization skills for campers from Nassau, Suffolk, and Queens, who receive free doorto-door transportation.

Campers participate in traditional

activities, such as swimming, arts and crafts, music and dance classes, and field trips and technology classes that have been adapted for visually impaired people. The camp is closed out annually with an inspiring variety show filled with singing, dancing and musical performaces by the campers.

Camp counselors are committed to bringing their unique talents to the children. They are specially trained to adapt recreational and social activities to ensure each child’s experience is accessible. Camp memories are created along with lifetime friendships.

For more information or to register visit https://www.helenkeller.org/ camp-helen-keller-long-island/

—Submitted by Helen Keller Services

Programming and activities to keep kids learning, growing, and exploring. (Contributed photo)

2022 Camp Helen Keller (Photo credit: Helen Keller Services)

It is astounding to think that a private collection of masterworks as wide-ranging and important as these could be assembled by a 32-year-old connoisseur, but Hong Gyu  Shin is an internationally recognized figure in the global art world. He shares more than a hundred of his treasures with us by such greats as Whistler, Lautrec, Boucher, Daumier, Delacroix, Derain, Balthus, de Kooning and many other top-tier names from art history. Shin is a synthesizer. His credo: “Avant-garde visual culture, irrespective of traditions, is timeless.”

See it now

To purchase exhibition tickets, visit the museum or scan code

More as a Member Experience

To purchase a museum membership. visit the museum or scan code

One Mus eum D r ive, Ros lyn Harbor

Discover Long Island Unveils New Merchandise Produced By Spectrum Designs

With Autism Awareness Month underway, Discover Long Island, the region’s official tourism marketing organization, is proud to unveil three new Long Island-branded apparel products designed, printed, packaged, and shipped by Spectrum Designs, a Port Washington-based business whose workforce is comprised of Long Islanders on the autism spectrum—a group that faces a 75 percent under-employment rate in the U.S. With this new collection of exclusive Long Island merchandise, Discover Long Island expands on its successful partnership with the talented team at Spectrum that has produced the organization’s top two best selling products to date: the “Where I BeLONG Crewneck” and the “Hot Teas Podcast Tank Top.”

Discover Long Island creates apparel steeped in community pride and with this growing partnership, continues their efforts to support local businesses, entrepreneurs and organizations that strengthen local communities and work to make Long Island a great place to live, work and play. Discover Long Island’s three new products, now available on Shop.DiscoverLongIsland.com , include:

• “Where I BeLONG Hooded Sweatshirt” –available in grey and navy blue

• “Where I BeLONG Trucker Hat” – available

in grey

• “Where I BeLONG Dog Bandana” in navy blue.

The hoodie and trucker hat are the latest additions to the tourism organization’s “BeLONG on Long Island” collection that continues to grow and diversify with trending and destination inspired products, from an ocean-scented hand poured candle to a wine tumbler to a hype-worthy beach towel that continues to sell out. The new dog bandana is Discover Long Island’s first pet-focused promotional product and part of a larger collection soon to be announced in partnership with America’s VetDogs, a Long Island based

nonprofit organization that trains and places guide dogs and service dogs with disabled veterans.

“While creating walking billboards with quality branded apparel is a time-tested marketing strategy, creating meaningful partnerships with organizations that share our values and help us illuminate the character of our community, remains key to our success,” said Discover Long Island President & CEO, Kristen Reynolds, CDME. “Now more than ever, people are shopping with intention and like to wear brands that they have a positive association with and are transparent about their efforts to do good. Quality products

that showcase and support the local, diverse, and socially conscious businesses across our destination, not only benefits our brand but truly uplifts the entire community – while giving residents, visitors, and ex-pats more motivation to demonstrate their Long Island pride.”

“It is a privilege to collaborate with Discover Long Island all year ‘round but especially during Autism Acceptance Month. They are a valued partner helping to further our mission of creating neurodiverse employment opportunities,” said Spectrum Designs Co-Founder & CEO, Patrick Bardsley. “Their ongoing support has been instrumental in

Dodge Homestead “Spring Fling”

Step back in time with the Cow Neck Peninsula Historical Society (CNPHS). This family-friendly event takes place on the grounds of historic Dodge Homestead (circa 1721), now a house-museum run by the Society. Come inside for a house tour, sing along to the music of our own Front Porch Players, and learn about our honeybees from our very own beekeeper.

Dodge Homestead honey will be for sale, as well as Port Washington “circa 1644” tee shirts, loads of home-baked goods, beautiful jewelry galore, our CNPHS Journals and books about old Port Washington, and attic treasures.

Visit the Dodge Homestead (58 Harbor Rd.) on Saturday, May 6 from 1 to 4 p.m. (rain or shine) to take part in the fun. Admission is free.

For more information, visit www. cowneck.org. —Submitted by the Cow Neck Peninsula Historical Society

“Where I BeLONG Dog Bandana” in navy blue

“Where I BeLONG Trucker Hat” in grey

“Where I BeLONG Hooded Sweatshirt” in navy blue (Photos from Discover Long Island online shop)

driving positive change for individuals with different abilities across our community. We are grateful to them for making such an impact and creating an exemplary cycle of positive change across the Island.”

Josh Mirsky, Lead Production Assistant at Spectrum Designs, pictured above said, “I’m always honored to work on jobs for our dedicated clients. Many organizations just say they support neurodiverse employment, but partners like Discover Long Island walk the walk! I cannot speak highly enough about them and appreciate their support!”

About Discover Long Island: Discover Long Island is the region’s official tourism marketing and leadership organization charged with furthering the destination’s thriving visitor economy, which saw record-breaking highs in 2019 generating $6.3 billion in visitor spending. The organization ensures Long Island’s coveted quality of life, thriving industries, and dynamic destination offerings are promoted on a global level, furthering economic development, and benefiting residents and businesses throughout the region. Awarded “Best Social Media” in the nation by the US Travel Association, the organization produces engaging content featuring local businesses and attractions for their 10 social media channels which garner upwards of 10 million views.Additionally, the organization hosts a popular and award-winning YouTube series, Long Island TV, as well as the Long Island Tea podcast. To learn more, please call 631-951-3900 or visit www. DiscoverLongIsland.com.

—Submitted by Discover Long Island

Twenty-Ninth Annual Golf And Tennis Tournament

Community Mainstreaming Associates, Inc. (CMA) will host its 29th Annual Golf andTennis Tournament on Monday, May 8 at the Muttontown Country Club in East Norwich.

Led by co-chairs Matt Engel and Jeff Pinsky, both of Sands Point, this tournament presents an opportunity for many vital business leaders and representatives in the Long Island, Bronx, Manhattan and the tri-state area to enjoy a day filled with relaxation, fun, and networking to aid in an immensely good cause. All proceeds benefit CMA’s services for adults on Long Island with intellectual and developmental disabilities such as autism and Down syndrome.

Honoring Ron Finger, Finger Management

CMA’s 2023 Honoree Ron Finger is President and CEO of Finger Management, a leading full-service property management firm in Westchester and Manhattan. Ron Finger has been President and CEO of Finger Management for 16 years and has 30+ plus years of distinguished work in real estate property management. Born and raised in the Bronx, Ron has been surrounded by New York’s one-of-a-kind architecture

and real estate and has turned his lifelong affinity into a very successful career and business.

For nearly 50 years, Community Mainstreaming Associates has assisted those with Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities in living productive, fulfilling and meaningful lives within their communities through: offering specialized living accommodations as well as care and support; providing customized guidance and opportunities in pursuing and maintaining employment; and creating

memorable opportunities and experiences to enjoy social and recreational activities. Empowering people with developmental disabilities to live enriching, love filled lives, along with connecting them to living and employment opportunities near their loved ones is our top priority.

For more information about this event, please visit www.communitymainstreaming.org or call Colleen Slattery at 516-6830710, extension 200.

—Submitted by Community Mainstreaming Associates, Inc.

Friends For Life makes it possible for seniors to live in their own home. Our extraordinary family of caregivers can attend to your loved one, so you can get back to being a daughter or son. You can depend on us!

If you are stuck on where to begin with Medicaid, you are in the right place. We are New York Medicaid experts who care. We will help guide you through the process of Medicaid planning and give you the information necessary to get on the right path.

Town Board Unanimously Appoints New Comptroller

The Town of North Hempstead unanimously voted to appoint Kristen Schwaner as the Town’s new Comptroller, effective April 25. Schwaner is a Certified Public Accountant, with more than 15 years of experience in finance and accounting.

“I am very pleased that the Town has officially appointed Kristen Schwaner as Town Comptroller,” Town Supervisor Jennifer DeSena said. “North Hempstead has been without a formally appointed Comptroller since before my first day in office almost 16 months ago, but after an extensive search process, I believe that Ms. Schwaner will be an excellent addition to our Town staff and will work hard to fulfill my administration’s

mandate of protecting our taxpayers’ wallets. Now that this has been accomplished, I look forward to working with Ms. Schwaner as we move to bring on capable and qualified deputies to fill out our Comptroller Department management team.”

“We are thrilled to have Kristen as our new comptroller,” said Councilmember Veronica Lurvey. “With her wealth of experience in both finance and accounting, I believe that our Town will benefit greatly from her expertise. Her exceptional qualifications make her a perfect fit for this role, and I am confident that she will excel in her duties.”

“The opportunity to serve as the Comptroller of the Town of North Hempstead is

both an honor and a responsibility that I do not take lightly. I am excited to be part of the Town Board’s leadership team, ensuring fiscal responsibility, transparency, and accountability. Together, we will strive to make North Hempstead an even better place to live, work, and raise a family,” said Kristen Schwaner.

Schwaner previously held positions at Sight Growth Partners, New York-Presbyterian, and ProHEALTH Medical Management. She has also held senior positions at EY and Marcum. She holds a Bachelor’s degree in Accounting from the Frank G. Zarb School of Business at Hofstra University.

—Submitted by the Town of North Hempsead

Towns, School Board Officials Denounce State Housing Plan

Oyster Bay Town Supervisor Joseph Saladino joined with numerous School Board Presidents from across the county, as well as Supervisor Jen DeSena of North Hempstead and Supervisor Don Clavin of Hempstead, to demand that State lawmakers eliminate the State Housing Plan to flood suburbs and single-family home neighborhoods with thousands of new apartments. In addition to resulting in high density housing flooding every community and spot zoning, this mandate would overcrowd classrooms and threaten the quality of education statewide.

“We join together to express grave concerns related to the Governor’s Housing Mandate and what overdevelopment could do to Long Island schools,” Supervisor Saladino said. “This plan will overcrowd classrooms and compromise the quality of our children’s education. Many schools would need to construct extensions onto their buildings and millions more in tax dol-

lars would be needed to properly fund our schools. Aside from the financial impact, services would also be threatened. From before/after school programs to sports teams, many students are already unable to obtain services. The Governor’s plan will make this existing problem much worse.”

The three Town Supervisors joined local district officials to voice their concerns of how the Governor’s urbanization plan would negatively impact the environment, traffic, parking, emergency services, police protection, local utilities and schools. They also asked the public to join them in contacting state officials to demand that this proposal not move forward.

To help have their voices heard against this proposal, residents can visit www.oysterbaytown.com/sos and sign the petition telling state representatives their opposition to the plan.

—Submitted by the Town of Oyster Bay

North Hempstead Town Supervisor Jennifer DeSena and the Town Board are proud to announce that the Town’s Animal Shelter will be hosting a free rabies vaccination clinic in conjunction with the Nassau County Department of Health. The clinic will be held at the Town of North Hempstead Animal Shelter in Port Washington on Saturday, May 6 from 10 a.m. to 12 p.m.

Rabies vaccines will be available to dogs and cats, as well as ferrets. You do not have to be a resident of North Hempstead for your pet to receive a free rabies vaccine. North Hempstead officials will also offer on-the-spot dog licensing applications and renewals to North Hempstead residents. Owners must bring their dogs on leashes and their cats and ferrets in carriers. Regis-

tration is required. The North Hempstead Animal Shelter is located at 75 Marino Ave. in Port Washington.

To make a reservation, or if you have any questions, please call 311 or 516-869-6311.

—Submitted by the Town of North Hempstead

North Hempstead Town Supervisor Jennifer DeSena, the Town Board and the Clark Botanic Garden Auxiliary are pleased to present the Annual Spring Plant Sale at Clark Botanic Garden on Friday, May 12 from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. and Saturday, May 13 from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. The sale will feature annuals, perennials, herbs, shrubs, hanging baskets, trees, native plants, vegetables and houseplants for purchase. The plant sale raises money for the Fanny Dwight Clark Memorial Garden, Inc.

Collections at the garden include native spring wildflowers, conifers, roses, perennials, daylilies, wetland plants, rock garden plants, herbs, butterfly plants, medicinal plants, and more than a dozen collections of plant families.

The Plant Sale will also feature:

• Twice Loved Jewelry & Accessories

• Art Exhibit

• Clark Coffee Café featuring refreshments from Serendipitea & Mongo Coffee and

treats (including gluten-free) from local bakers

Clark Garden To Host Annual Mother’s Day Plant Sale Town Announces Free Rabies Clinic

• Garden Gift Shop

• Taste NY Booth

• Raffles

Celebrating its tenth anniversary, Taste NY will have a booth at the plant sale exclusively featuring Long Island products. Locally curated items will be on display and available for purchase.

Founded in 1969, Clark Botanic Garden is a 12-acre living museum and educational facility dedicated to understanding and appreciating the world’s plant life through horticulture, education and research. It is located at 193 I. U. Willets Road in Albertson.

Admission to the plant sale is free and only cash or checks will be accepted when purchasing plants. All proceeds will benefit the Fanny Dwight Clark Memorial Garden, Inc. The plant sale is rain or shine. For more information, please call 311 or 516-869-6311.

—Submitted by the Town of North Hempstead

Town Supervisors joined local district officials (Contributed photo)

Kristen Schwaner

(Photo credit: Sight Growth Partners)

Maggie Keats

Douglas Elliman proudly recognizes Maggie for being selected among Long Island Business News Influencers in Real Estate 2023

Smart. Successful. Top producing agent on Long Island for a decade.

It is no surprise to the management of Douglas Elliman, or to her colleagues, that Long Island Business News is now adding the distinction of “In uencer in Real Estate” to Maggie’s long list of accolades. We celebrate her continued success and contributions to both her community and to our Company and heartily say CONGRATULATIONS MAGGIE!

With my expertise and experience in the real estate eld, I’m positive that I can help potential buyers see just how special your home truly is. Whether it’s through staging or pricing, I’m well-versed in what it takes to sell homes successfully.

With my expertise and experience in the real estate eld, I’m positive that I can help potential buyers see just how special your home truly is. Whether it’s through staging or pricing, I’m well-versed in what it takes to sell homes successfully.

I’m also incredibly dedicated and detail-oriented, so you can count on me to bring out all of the unique features that make your house stand out from the rest!

I’m also incredibly dedicated and detail-oriented, so you can count on me to bring out all of the unique features that make your house stand out from the rest!

Let’s chat soon so we can collaborate on a plan that ts your needs perfectly.

Let’s chat soon so we can collaborate on a plan that ts your needs perfectly.