SHANE’S ANCHOR REALTY
DECEMBER HAPPENINGS
THURS. DEC. 26 - 9:00AM
FRI. DEC. 27 - 3:00PM
HOLIDAY DISCOVERY DAYS
Sweetbriar Nature Center will be offering daily natural science programs over the school breaks for elementary school children. Sweetbriar Nature CenterECSS, 62 Eckernkamp Drive in Smithtown. for more informatio, please call 631-979-6344
THURS. DEC. 26 & JAN. 2
11:00AM-1:00 PM FESTIVE LIGHTHOUSES
Did you know lighthouses were lit with whale oil? Design and decorate a unique lighthouse of your own - complete with batterypowered tea light and mini wreath - to light up your home this winter. The Whaling Museum & Education Center, 301 Main St. in Cold spring Harbor. No registration required. For more information, please call 516-282-6426, Cristina Ainslie.
FRIDAY, DEC. 27TH
5:30PM Activities, 7:00PM Movie
A VERY GRINCHY PAJAMA PARTY
Wear your favorite pajamas and immerse yourself in a world of Grinchy mischief and holiday cheer. This special family evening is packed with activities, a beloved holiday movie, and delicious treats. Cradle of Aviation Museum, Charles Lindbergh Blvd. in Garden City. For general info 516-5724111. Reservations 516-572-4066
HOLIDAYS
3rd - Giving Tuesday
21st - Winter begins 25th - Christmas
Hanukkah begins at sundown
MAKE A SUBMISSION!
Events must be submitted at least two weeks prior to the event date and will run free of charge on a space available basis. For more info, call 631.226.2636 x275 or send events to editorial@longislandmediagroup.com
TUES., DEC. 31st
8:30PM-1:30AM
THE NEW YEAR'S EVE PARTY
Hosted by:The Holy Name Society. Music provided by: The Switch LI Food Catered by: Seaqua Catering Maria Regina Auditorium - Pontieri Hall. To Purchase tickets visit https://linktr.ee/hns_mariaregina and select "New Year's Eve Party Tickets", Choose the number of tickets you wish to purchase and then checkout. **TICKETS WILL NOT BE SOLD AT THE DOOR** Email: HolyNameSociety@ MariaRegina.com
TUES., DEC. 31st
8:00PM-1:00AM
NEW YEAR'S EVE GALA 2025
Celebrate New Years Eve at The Meadow Club, 1147 Route 112 in Port Jefferson Station with Cocktail Hour, Buffet Dinner, Ball Drop, & Live Music! Call 631-828-4818 to reserve your spot or get your ticket now on our website! https:// themeadowclub.ticketspice.com/ new-years-eve-gala
NOW THRU DEC. 31st
8:00AM-6:00PM
CHRISTMAS AT HICKS
Pictures with Santa, every day through December 23. Make sure to bring your own camera for pictures. A walkthrough Christmas story features Santa, his elves and friends as they prepare for the big day! A festive animated story for the young and young at heart! Please bring your donation of a
non-perishable food item(s) for Long Island Cares and drop off at the end of your walkthrough. 100 Jericho Turnpike in Westbury. For more information, please call 516334-0066
NOW THRU JAN. 02, 2025
10:00AM-3:00PM
CHRISTMAS HOUSE
LONG ISLAND
If you are looking for an exciting and fun, indoor family holiday attraction, Christmas House Long Island is now open daily at the Broadway Commons, 358 N. Broadway in Hicksville. This unique 45+ minute walk-through features interactive and imaginative experiences that will delight people of all ages! For more information, please call 516-878-0273
NOW THRU JAN. 04, 2025
Sunday-Thursday
5:00PM- 10:00PM
Friday & Saturday 5:00PM -11:00PM
MAGIC OF LIGHTS
Jones Beach State Park. 1 Ocean Parkway in Wantagh. Magic of Lights is a dazzling, drive-through holiday lights experience, which features holiday scenes and characters of the season using the latest LED technology and digital animations. Experience this all from the comfort of your own car! One carload, one price. For dates, times, and ticket availability, visit magicoflights.com.
Seaford High School’s student government officers joined forces with players from a quartet of basketball teams for the annual holiday toy drive.
With four consecutive home basketball games on Dec. 7 – girls varsity, girls junior varsity, boys varsity and boys junior varsity – the student council encouraged players and fans to donate new, unwrapped toys. The response was overwhelming and will help student leaders fulfill their mission.
Their parents and several fans also brought toys to the game, as well as opposing players from Division Avenue High School.
On Dec. 18 and 19, student council members will dress up as Santa Claus, Mrs. Claus and elves, and visit children at Head Start programs in Hempstead and Westbury. They will hand out approximately 200 toys based on each child’s specific wish.
“It’s a nice process,” said ninth grade student council member Henry Brock about the efforts to sort, wrap and label each toy to ensure all of the children get something they want. “It really gives back to the community. You feel good to help someone else have a better day and a better Christmas.”
The student council will donate additional toys to Hope for Youth, an organization that supports the foster care system.
Seaford High School students could donate during their second period classes. Student council representatives visited the Seaford Harbor PTA’s Polar Express night, at which each family was asked to contribute a toy. There is also a community drop-off day at the high school on Dec. 15.
This was the first year the student council partnered with the basketball teams for a toy collection. Girls varsity basketball captain Skyler Secondino said that every player contributed at least one toy, as they recognized the impact their donation could have on local children and families.
“It was nice to see the ripple effect of the word of mouth,” Skyler said, adding that she wants to see this partnership continue every year. “It’s a good tradition that hopefully we have started.”
that this was a way for the players to give back to a community that is very supportive of the basketball team.
Jessica Grzelaczyk added
Photos courtesy of the Seaford School District
The Seaford High School student council has been collecting toys, which will be given to children during visits to local Head Start programs on Dec. 18 and 19.
Plainedge School District Proudly Presents
Log onto www.plainedgeschools.org
Under the "Parent" tab, Select Student Registration
Then select 2025-2026 Kindergarten
Did You Know?
Parents who want to encourage their children to volunteer may find their efforts at doing so are more convincing if they volunteer themselves. A study published in the Journal of Adolescence examined the effects that parents who volunteer and talk about volunteering have on children. Researchers found that the children of volunteers were 27 percent more likely to volunteer than children whose parents did not volunteer. In addition, adolescents were 47 percent more likely to volunteer when their parents volunteered and talked about volunteering with their children.
Garage Door Sale!
State Funding Keeps Adventureland Spinning Forward
New York State will help Adventureland remain a Fireball, as “Long Island’s Amusement Park since 1962” is set to receive $205,600 in funding for its five-year improvement project, Sen. Monica R. Martinez announced.
The $10 million to $15 million modernization plan will introduce several new attractions to the park while retiring some long-time favorites. But don’t expect too much Turbulence from those closures. In their place will be the new thrill ride, Top Spin; a Miniature Pirate Ship; a refurbished
Viking Voyage; and the installation of a water main that will support additional attractions, all made possible in part by this grant.
Funding is being provided through a Market New York grant, a program that supports regionally themed marketing projects that promote tourism destinations, attractions and special events, as well as tourism facility capital improvement projects.
“Adventureland not only holds fond memories for nearly every Long Island child and family,
but it also holds an important place in our regional economy,” said Sen. Martinez. “It employs over 650 local workers who keep the Train, and other rides, moving throughout the park’s operating season. Supporting Adventureland’s improvement is good for patrons, impactful for our community, and beneficial for New York State.”
The upgrades are expected to be Musik to the ears of visitors to the adventure park, which has operated rides, games, and attractions for children and adults of all ages on its East Farmingdale campus for more than 60 years. The multiphased redevelopment project began earlier this year and is expected to continue until 2028, with park employment projected to increase by 10% upon completion.
Youth Girls Ice Hockey Clinic
Coming January 4th Register Today!
Oyster Bay Town Councilman Steve Labriola is excited to announce the Town’s upcoming Youth Girls Hockey Clinic, scheduled for Saturday, January 4, 2025, at the Town of Oyster Bay Ice Skating Center. The clinic, running from 10:15 AM to 12:00 PM, is open to girls between the ages of 6 and 16.
This special event provides an excellent opportunity for young athletes to experience the excitement of ice hockey in a supportive
and encouraging environment. No prior hockey experience is required, though basic skating skills are necessary. Participants will receive hands-on instruction and leave with a complimentary TOBAY hockey jersey.
“All young girls in our community, whether new to hockey or looking to sharpen their skills, are invited to lace up their skates and join us for this fantastic clinic,” said Councilman Labriola.
“This is a great chance to
foster a love for hockey, develop teamwork, and have some fun on the ice.”
Important Details: All participants must wear standard hockey gear.
Equipment will be available to borrow on a first-come, first-served basis.
For additional information, please contact the Department of Parks at (516) 433-7465 x8230 or register today at www.oysterbaytown.com/ portal.
ST. CHARLES CEMETERY FARMINGDALE, NY
• Create and design marketing materials, including flyers, and brochures
• Perform clerical tasks such as scanning, photocopying, filing, and organizing documents
• Answer and direct phone calls in a polite and efficient manner
• Manage and maintain a clean and organized office environment
• Proofread documents for grammar, spelling, and punctuation errors
• Manage office supplies
• Perform other duties as assigned
Administrative Assistant Requirements
• Computer literacy with proficiency in Microsoft Office Suite (Word, Excel, Outlook)
• Familiarity with Adobe Photoshop
• Excellent customer service skills with the ability to handle inquiries and complaints professionally
• Strong organizational skills to manage multiple tasks and deadlines effectively
• Accurate data entry skills with attention to detail
• Clerical experience in an office setting is preferred
• Phone etiquette skills to handle calls with professionalism and courtesy
The position offers an opportunity to work in a professional office environment with a supportive team. The successful candidate will have the chance to develop their administrative skills while providing excellent customer service.
Monday - Friday, 35 hour work week, from 9am-5pm
Half day (over time pay), 9am-1pm, every other Saturday.
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Soffit, Rotten
Why Make Resolutions?
The dawn of a new year is a time when many people take inventory of the previous 12 months and begin thinking about ways they can improve their lives in the coming year. Such looking ahead can provide inspiration and motivation.
Resolving to make changes at the beginning of a new year is a tradition for many people. Even when people veer off course from their resolutions, many pick themselves up, dust themselves off and try again year after year.
The custom of making resolutions is celebrated in many areas of the world. But how did the custom begin?
History.com states that the origins of New Year’s resolutions can be traced to the ancient Babylonians, who purportedly made promises to the gods to earn good favor for the coming year. These resolutions were personal promises of growth and redemption and were made in conjunction with the start of a new year which, at the time, began in mid-March and not January.
Common resolutions revolved around getting out of debt or returning borrowed items. The Babylonians tried to
fulfill these resolutions so that the pagan gods would bestow favor on them, including a rich harvest, for the coming year.
The Romans were the first to change the calendar to have the new year begin on January 1. January was named for the Roman god Janus, who had dual faces. Romans believed that Janus could not only look back into the previous year, but also look forward to the next one. So Romans made promises to Janus to do good deeds in the months to come and learn from past mistakes.
Early Christians also embraced resolutions as chances to repent and redeem themselves through positive actions. Although there are still some religious ties to resolutions, New Year’s resolutions are still largely practiced today. And unlike making promises to God or pagan gods, resolutions are now most often personal promises focusing on selfimprovement.
The largest percentage of resolutions made today, according to Statistics Brain, involve self-improvement or education-related goals.
Saturday, 12/28 8am-6pm
Sunday, 12/29 9am - 4pm
Monday, 12/30 8am - 7pm
Tuesday, 12/31 8am - 6pm
