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Friday, August 5, 2016
Vol. 77, No. 30
Hicksville company helps girls overcome limb loss
GREAT SPORTS
BY GARY SIMEONE
Hempstead Town Councilman Gary Hudes (left) joined the Regan Family during the dedication of the Sports Complex at the Levittown Memorial Education Center on Abbey Lane in Levittown in memory of Kevin Regan, a Levittown school district board member and Executive Director of the Island Trees Youth Council who passed away earlier this year. The Sports Complex was named in Kevin’s honor in memory of his years of dedication to the children of the Levittown community.
Burglary charges in dog-napping
Nassau County Police arrested two women for allegedly taking a dog from a Hicksville home on July 23rd. According to detectives, Jaime Grant-Hewson, 35, of Ronkonkoma had given her dog, a Jack Russel Terrier, to the female victim, 50 two years ago due to a hardship. Grant-Hewson asked for the dog to be returned, but the victim refused. Police say that on Saturday, July 23, at 6:25 p.m. Grant-Hewson and co-defendant Samantha Leo, 35 of Islip went to the victim’s Moeller Street residence and while Leo remained in the vehicle,
Grant-Hewson pried a front window open to enter the home and removed the dog. Second Squad detectives conducted an investigation which led to the arrest of
both defendants on August 2. The dog was returned to the victim by detectives. Both women were charged with burglary 2nd degree.
A video that went viral last month on YouTube showed a little girl from Texas who was overwhelmed with emotion after receiving an American Girl doll with a prosthetic leg like hers. The girl, ten year old, Emma Bennett was flown in from her home state to receive the doll and a free trip to New York City thanks to the contributions of A Step Ahead Prosthetics & Orthotics. The company initially gave Emma a new $40,000 prosthetic leg and than after seeing the tremendous response on YouTube, decided to fly her in to give her and her family the gifts. “It touched my heart to see her reaction after receiving the doll with the prosthetic leg exactly like she has,” said Company founder and CEO, Erik Schaffer. “I am used to doing this job for over thirty years now and her reaction really gave us a perspective of how something like this can change people’s lives.” He said that he and his staff and his four daughters at home were all equally overwhelmed after watching Emma’s reaction to the doll on the
YouTube broadcast. Schaffer said he has been making dolls like this for nine years as a way to give back to his patients. “It used to be a thing we did on occasion but the business for it has been ramping up and we revisited it and now we do not turn any of our patients requests away,” said Schaffer. “We offer the service to any kids, really anybody around the world.” He said that on average his business makes twenty to forty specialty dolls per week for people suffering with limb loss. “It definitely costs us as far as money, extra staff, time and materials but the effort is well worth it.” In Emma’s case, the team at A Step Ahead designed a fully working hydraulic system prosthetic device for her. The little girl lost her leg as a baby due to a congenital birth defect. “With this device she now has the ability to wear all different types of footwear from heels to flats, even flip flops,” said Schaffer. “In her case and in all of our patient’s cases it’s about living life without limitations. That is our motto.”
India Day parade on Saturday
Jamie Grant - Hewson
Samantha N. Leo
The annual India Day Parade will be held on August 6 at 3 p.m. starting from Apna Bazaar, 217 Bethpage Road in Hicksville, then down Bay Avenue, to East Barclay Street to Railroad Avenue, where festivities will be held. The parade route will be closed to traffic from 2:45 p.m. to 4 p.m. The Grand Marshal will be Bollywood star Bobby Deol, the co-Marshal will
be Bollywood star Prashantt Gupta and the Guest of Honor will be singer Raghav. The festival will begin at 3 p.m. and will feature live performances, dignitaries, cultural programs, mouth watering food, shopping, kids fun and activities, henna tattoos, a live DJ and more. Free admission.
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