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OUTDOOR DINING - PAGE 2 SUMMERTIME DRINKS - PAGE 4 SOUNDS OF SUMMER - PAGE 5 STUFF FOR KIDS - PAGE 6 ICE POP RECIPES - PAGE 8 AND MORE!
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Vol. l II No. LXVI | www.StandardLI.com d d | News@standardli.com d dl | Ph.# h 516-341-0445 4 44
JULY 6-12, 2012
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YOUR FIVE TOWNS HOMETOWN PAPER
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Summertime and the Living is Easy!
uly 4th has come and gone and the summertime temperatures are finally here to stay. Days in the 80s and evenings in the high 60s and 70s. It’s the 10 to 12 weeks of mid-summer perfection that sends most of us heading to the pool and beach, to countless backyard barbeques, boardwalk strolls, rounds of golf, games of tennis, long bike rides and softball tournaments. Summer in The Five Towns – that time of year when it seems like we live in paradise. Everything’s in glorious full bloom, the sun sets after 8 and weekend days and nights stretch on to forever. This is our Second Annual “Summer Fun” Issue where we share our recommendations on taking ad-
vantage of all that our corner of Long Island has to offer – from bars and restaurants to drink and ice pop recipes to cool things to do with your kids, this is a special themed issue that we hope you’ll refer to over the course of the season. A lot of our regular news, features and opinion columns are absent from this issue but will return next week. Our staff is taking a few deserved and needed days off to catch some Vitamin D rays, so we put this paper out on Monday and Tuesday, before the 4th. This edition is all about sun and fun, let us know what you think and we’ll catch you out on the beach! -- Howard Barbanel, Editor
Being a Lifeguard: Tougher Job than you Think By Deanna Del Ciello Their days are spent out in the sun on the beach or sitting next to the pool. Their feet gets covered in sand, their tan-lines become more defined as the days go on. But they’re not there to relax or have fun. They’re the lifeguards who keep a constant watch on the local beaches and pools, making sure that families and friends can enjoy the weather in the safest way possible. “It’s a lot of responsibility,” Laruen Rochford, 21, of Long Beach, said. She is the manager of the pool area at New Plaza Beach Club in Atlantic Beach. Rochford has been a lifeguard for six years, but this is her first year working at New Plaza. “Even though it seems easy, like a dream job, which it is in a lot of ways, it can get stressful sometimes. We do a lot of things that don’t require just watching. There’s maintenance, first aid and we always have to make sure the surroundings are safe.” The 10 lifeguards of New Plaza work every day, 9:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. on weekdays and until 7:00 p.m. on the weekends. Each morning, the group shows up to vacuum the pool, sweep the playground area, test the chlorine and organize their workplace. This cleaning process takes about an hour. For the rest of the day, the lifeguards are on rotation, splitting their time between the pool and beach when they’re not on their 30 minute break where they’re always on hand in case there’s a First Aid emergency. Rochford, who attends Nassau Community College, said she took the lifeguarding course offered in high school. From there, she’s been renewing her certification every three years, a requirement for all lifeguards. She works as a lifeguard year-round, moving inside to watch pools during the winter months. She said she prefers the summertime and being outside in the sun to working during the winter. “The job itself is just awesome.” “A lot of people don’t see what we do in the morning,” Brendan McGovern, 19, of Garden City, who has been a lifeguard at New Plaza for four
To the average beach-goer, it seems like all lifeguards do is sit and watch, but there is a lot more work that goes on behind than scenes. Photo by Natalia Kozikowska. years, said. McGovern attends Iona College and also earned his certification through the school offered class. “It’s a lot more work than expected. You have to have a constant focus and you’re always paying attention.” In order to become a lifeguard in Nassau County, there is a certification process that is required. Most schools offer a year-long lifeguarding course as a substitution for gym class. There is also a consolidated class held outside of school that lasts for six weeks. At the end of taking the life-guarding class, there are two tests that can be taken. Grade 1 is to be certified to be a pool lifeguard while Grade 3 is to be certified to be a beach lifeguard. In order to qualify to take the Grade 3 test, the Grade 1 test must be passed first. Lifeguard hopefuls must also
be Red Cross certified and at least 16 years old. While the group spends their day working and keeping the area safe, they do find time to grow friendships with each other. “We’re a very close group,” Kevin Dooley, 16, who lives in Texas during the school year but spends his summers at Atlantic Beach, said. This is his first year lifeguarding at New Plaza. He earned his certification through a consolidated class that lasted for six weeks, a three-hour class each day. “We know each other outside of work and we’ll sit and talk and get lunch.” The group is so close, that they joined a softball league together. Mark Raab, executive director of New Plaza, said that the favorite part of his job is being in charge of the group of kids who are the lifeguards. “I love
these kids, it’s like having children. They’re really good, really sweet kids. I feel like a dad a bit. I look forward to seeing them and they keep my job fun for me.” It doesn’t take years of experience to love the job. For new lifeguards Max Kramer, 16, of Long Beach, and Valentina Rappa, 16, of Long Beach, the past month and a half of working as a lifeguard for the first time has been wonderful. Kramer and Rappa lifeguard at Inwood Beach Club. “This is the best job you could have in the summer,” Rappa said. Kramer agreed, a passionate surfer, saying that he loves the beach and becoming a lifeguard was a logical choice for him. “You better love the beach already. If you don’t like the ocean or water, it’s not for you,” Kramer said. Rochford agreed, describing lifeguarding as a “great experience and a good time.” “It makes your summer better. Even though you work a lot you get to hang out at the beach all day. That’s a pretty good deal,” Rochford said. While their hours can be long and the heat can become difficult to handle, the company of other lifeguards helps them to get through the day. “We’re always in good company here,” Kramer said, describing the 12 lifeguards who work at the Inwood Beach Club as a family. “We know a lot about each other. You know, we’re sitting on the stand all day, so we talk a lot.” Kramer and Rappa both earned their certification through the school-offered substitution for gym class. Rappa explained that being a lifeguard takes a lot of confidence. “You can’t question yourself, you’re in charge.” All the lifeguards said that they intend to work as lifeguards until they graduate college and get a fulltime job. “Usually the lifeguards start in high school and work through college,” Raab said. “It’s a great
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Classifieds, Page 10 • Crossword Puzzle, Page 9 • Gas and Milk Trackers, Page 7 • Real Estate, Pages 11-12