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Friday, December 18, 2020
Vol. 80, No. 51
Chamber president reflects on an unusual year BY RIKKI MASSAND
Syosset Woodbury Chamber of Commerce board members -- (far left) Tricia Shannon, incoming Chamber President Russell P. Green, Santa (an honorary Chamber member), Board member Amanda Johnson, and 2020 Chamber President Maureen Nickel
Syosset schools, hospital offer Covid tests
The Syosset School District has entered into a partnership with Mount Sinai South Nassau to provide a COVID-19 rapid test satellite location at the Syosset High School campus, located at 70 South Woods Road, Syosset. This partnership will provide a convenient location for students, their immediate family members, and District staff members to obtain a rapid COVID-19 test. The satellite location opened on Tuesday,
December 8, and tests will be by appointment-only. Mount Sinai South Nassau will offer the Sofia SARS rapid COVID-19 antigen test (which has a higher degree of accuracy than many of the rapid tests currently in use) to members of the Syosset learning community, which includes District students and their immediate family members, as well as staff members. Appointments will be available Monday through
Friday between the hours of 2 p.m. and 6 p.m. Minors must have parental permission and be accompanied by an adult to be tested. Tests will be administered by a nurse under the direction of Mt. Sinai South Nassau and will take place in a drive-up format under a tent outside the school building. Sample evaluation will take place in an adjacent trailer and results will be available in See page 15
The Syosset Advance Published every Friday by Litmor Publishing Corp. Periodical Postage paid at Hicksville, N.Y. 11801 Telephone 931-0012 - USPS 3467-68 Postmaster: Send Address Change to: The Syosset Advance, 821 Franklin Ave., Suite 208 Garden City, N.Y. 11530 • Meg Norris, Publisher
The Syosset Woodbury Chamber of Commerce will forge a new path, hopefully post-pandemic at some point in 2021, but one of its key contributors will be stepping down from the position of Chamber president. In an email to the Chamber’s 150 members, outgoing Chamber President Maureen Nickel posted the following quote: Back in January, the Chamber gathered at Lisbon Cafe on Jericho Turnpike for the Installation Dinner gala evening highlighting its new board of directors, with Nickel having ascended to the chief role. She’s a longtime Woodbury resident who has worked in healthcare management for over 35 years, raised four sons in Syosset-Woodbury and led her business BrightStar Home Health Care as an entrepreneur and involved community member. Maureen Nickel grew up in Williston Park, the middle of three children. She always recalls her mother’s mantra – “There are two types of people in this world, those that volunteer and those that don’t.” Needless to say, her parents were very involved in local community and church activities and their example led her on the same path. Maureen, with her husband Don, has committed decades to helping the community, including with St. Edward the Confessor Roman Catholic Church. Maureen previously served as a volunteer member of the Saint Edward’s School Board, as well as the school’s Parents’ Association. For many years Don coached and volunteered in Saint Edward the Confessor’s CYO; he coached all four of their sons in basketball. One of Maureen’s fondest memories is being on the St. Edward’s Festival Committee, as the entire community comes together to enjoy a family amusement weekend with rides for the kids, games and great food. “Any event that brings the community together is what I enjoy the most,” Nickel says. Her service-oriented spirit is always evident as she’s volunteered with the Syosset Woodbury Chamber over several years; Nickel was the Chamber vice president under Charo Ezdrin, who served as the Chamber president from 2017 through 2019. The program for 2020 Chamber of Commerce activities was just getting warmed up when the COVID-19 pandemic and growing concerns it brought up, plus restrictions imposed from the state and county levels put a halt to events, ideas and any in-person collaborations. But there was an opportunity to be a beacon through the darkness; Nickel says Chamber members and small businesses in particular turned to the vibrant business and community network for support and good advice. At the virtual meetings the Chamber brought membership See page 15
Syosset HS fall play to be streamed PAGE 10 Students and staff kick up school spirit PAGE 6