January 4, 2023 Amityville

Long Island Elite Great Gatsby Gala Celebrates Organization’s 20th Anniversary

The Long Island Elite (LIE) is celebrating a milestone achievement—20 years of fostering the development of Long Island’s business and philanthropic communities. Since 2002, the organization has focused on cultivating the growth and leadership capabilities of Long Island business professionals, while raising awareness and funds for local charities. To highlight this milestone, and raise money for its Charity Partner of the

Year United Cerebral Palsy of Long Island, the business networking and philanthropy group held its Great Gatsby Gala, channeling the glamour of the roaring 1920s.

“This year, the Long Island Elite celebrates its 20th Anniversary,” said Long Island Elite President Frank Morizio, Jr. “Organizations that hit this remarkable milestone must be filled with mission driven people, who are themselves,

remarkable. But that’s not all you need to get here.

Over the past 20 years, there have been hundreds of members, thousands of connections made, and millions of dollars raised to support organizations that are doing amazing things for our neighbors in need.”

The anniversary gala is a celebration of the vision that the LIE “Founders” had to support the growth of business and charitable efforts on Long Island.

To honor that vision, the LIE chose United Cerebral Palsy of Long Island to be its gala beneficiary and have committed to help them build an adaptive playground where children in their program can enjoy the simple pleasures of adolescent fun as all children should. Continued On 13

Neighbor Pets’ Place

Successful Donation Drive

On Monday, December 19, 2022, Noelle Lambert and The Bryn Elliott Team concluded their Holiday Donation Drive, which ran for four weeks and had drop-off locations throughout Long Island. The drive brought in countless donations, all of which were given to a local non-profit organization, the Long Island Coalition for the Homeless (LICH).

“It was such a great experience and people didn’t hold back,” said Noelle Lambert, Licensed Real Estate Salesperson with Douglas Elliman Real Estate. “I received calls, texts and emails from people who heard of the drive and wanted to donate, many of which ended up giving so much that they couldn’t bring it all into a drop-off location in one trip. Although it’s a very sad reality that many individuals are experiencing homelessness and other hardships right here on Long Island, it was really refreshing to see our community come together and do something about it.”

The Long Island Coalition for the Homeless strives to end homelessness on Long Island, and to alleviate the issues associated with homelessness and poverty for homeless and at risk persons in Nassau and Suffolk Counties. The organization’s distribution center where the donations were brought is located at 600 Albany Avenue in Amityville,

and is also known as their boutique. People in need can make an appointment to come to the boutique and leave with clothes and other items, such as non perishable food and personal care products for free. LICH is here to work directly with people in need, as well as with case managers, shelter staff members, school employees, church members and the like who are helping these individuals.

”This organization does so much good and it was a pleasure to contribute towards their important mission,” said Bryn Elliott, Licensed Associate Real Estate Broker with Douglas Elliman Real Estate. “So many people have clothing and miscellaneous items that they aren’t using, while others are in real need; it’s just a matter of coordinating a collection. However, it’s clear that the holiday spirit helped our drive quite a bit. I want to express how thankful we are to all who donated, as well as for the businesses that allowed us to use their locations for the drive, which includes USA Auto Body in East Patchogue, The Fish Store in Bayport, Long Island Media Group in

Farmingdale and Douglas Elliman Real Estate in Smithtown and Farmingville.”

“We are so very grateful for this drive that Noelle and The Bryn Elliott Team put together,” said Bailey Riekkinen, Community Engagement Specialist at LICH. “The Long Island Coalition for the Homeless will continue to advocate and serve until we achieve our mission of ending homelessness on Long Island. In 2022, we referred over 700 households for permanent housing through Coordinated Entry, a system that ensures the most vulnerable Long Islanders are prioritized for permanent, affordable housing. Affordable housing is scarce on Long Island, and we are consistently working hard at connecting Long Island’s most vulnerable to the available resources. Additionally, we received and distributed over 10,000 pounds of food and toiletries along with countless clothing items to locals that are homeless and at-risk on the streets and in shelters through our boutique and pantry.”

Together we can make a true difference in our community. If you would like more information about starting a donation drive with the Long Island Coalition for the Homeless, please contact Bailey at 631.464.4314 x125. For more information about LICH and all they offer, visit www. addressthehomeless.org or call 631.464.4314.

BARNEY

DAHLIA

SIR SPARKLEPUFF 8 year old male. Lhasa Apso mix. Full of playfulness and enough cuddles to go around.

ROWDY

6 month old male. Pit mix. Sweet natured and affectionate boy.

CARNE ASADA 5 month old male. Labrador mix. Spunky little fellow. Eager to learn.

NAPOLEON

10 year old male. Pekingese mix. Confident and an ideal lap warmer.

Noelle Lambert & Bryn Elliott

Helping You Help Others

By Noelle Lambert

The Charity of the Month for January is Pal-O-Mine Equestrian

www.pal-o-mine.org

Pal-O-Mine Equestrian is a local non-profit organization that began in 1995 as a therapeutic horseback riding program for individuals with disabilities and other vulnerable populations. They grew from having two programs, eight horses and 80 students per week to 11 programs, 25 horses and 400 students per week - and they continue to grow today! “Our mission has been, and continues to be, to provide a comprehensive therapeutic equine program using horses to facilitate growth, learning and healing,” said Lisa Gatti, Founder and CEO of Pal-O-Mine Equestrian. “We proudly serve individuals with disabilities, those who have been abused or neglected, the military and the impoverished.”

Their location in Islandia offers an unequaled setting for equestrian activities, with a 20-stall barn on 13 acres, handicapped accessible bathrooms, a 100’ x 120’ indoor arena with state-of-the-art-footing and a rider hoisting system, 3 outdoor riding arenas, classrooms, accessible playground, a greenhouse and a wellness center. They offer the following programs:

Lessons: This program provides quality adaptive riding and unmounted lessons that benefit individuals with cognitive, physical, emotional and mental disabilities. Each one of their riding instructors excels in their field and continues with training and certification throughout their careers.

Equine Assisted Learning: This program incorporates horses experientially for educational and emotional growth and learning. Using unique approaches to create positive and constructive learning experiences for children and adolescents who are at risk of failing in the traditional academic setting, this program has changed the lives of countless individuals.

Equine Assisted Psychotherapy: This follows a model designed by EAGALA,

Inc., the leading international EAP training and certifying organization.

Currently, Pal-OMine Equestrian has 7 Licensed Mental Health Professionals and 11 Equine Specialists who are certified in this model. Groups that are participating focus on the following issues: grief, trauma and abuse, eating disorders, substance abuse, addiction and codependency.

Speech & Occupational Therapy: Clients respond well to therapy incorporating activities with animals, and a variety of therapy goals can be addressed using this treatment strategy. Occupational Therapists and Speech Language Pathologists run this program to provide therapy services with the assistance of wonderful animals.

Military: For more than four thousand years, horses have been an integral part of warfare. Today, horses are still playing an important role in war, this time in the recovery of military veterans who have suffered emotional and/or physical injuries. This program is an EAGALA designated Military Program and offers individual, group and family sessions to help people heal.

Corporate Leadership: The way individuals interact and react with horses is very similar to the way they interact with their clients, customers, peers and work groups. People interpret horse behavior/emotions through the lens of their personal perception. How they interpret horses can often be a metaphor for their work, attitudes and relationships. Pal-O-Mine Equestrian is proud to offer a Corporate Leadership program.

For more information about this organization and all they offer, please call 631-348-1389 or visit www.pal-omine.org. Don’t miss next week’s article to learn about how you can get involved and help others in your community.

If your nonprofit would like to be featured in this column, please call Noelle Lambert at 631.226.2636 x225 for consideration.

Staying Sober During The Holiday Season

By Christopher Yadron, PhD, CEO at Wellbridge Addiction Treatment and Research

Whether you are newly sober or have maintained your sobriety long-term, you likely know that recovery is a lifelong journey. While challenging, maintaining sobriety is possible – even during the holiday season.

Deemed as “the most wonderful time of the year,” the holidays can also be quite stressful and triggering for those in recovery from substance use disorder (SUD). The season “to eat, drink and be merry” is often filled with holiday-themed cocktails at work parties, eggnog at friendly get-togethers, and an open bottle of wine at family events. So how does one focus on staying sober during the holidays? The team at Wellbridge Addiction Treatment and Research, an addiction treatment facility in Calverton, NY, believes it is by identifying and utilizing appropriate coping skills developed through advanced addiction treatment.

Here are six coping skills that may be helpful for staying sober during the holidays:

• Delay the decision: When feeling triggered or experiencing urges to use alcohol, put off making that decision for just 15 minutes. Many urges will go away if you do not give in immediately. Use that 15 minutes to remind yourself that the strength of the urge will decrease if you remain strong and wait it out.

• Use grounding techniques: Grounding techniques take an individual through their 5 senses, helping them remain in the current moment rather than focusing on the thoughts that are urging them to use. Grounding techniques are a powerful coping skill

that allow an individual to remain in the present moment and tune into their surroundings. Examples might include appreciating a holiday light display, savoring the smell of cookies baking in the oven, or listening to your favorite holiday music.

• Change your thoughts: Managing thoughts about using can help an individual cope with the urges. Some ways to change your thoughts about using are:

- Find new thoughts to challenge the current ones that lead to use. For example, “My track record has proven that I cannot have one drink and then stop.” The more you challenge the thoughts that allow for use, the more comfortable you will get in utilizing this technique.

- Think about the benefits of recovery. Thinking through the positive consequences of not using will help to weaken the urge to use drugs or alcohol.

- Think about the negative consequences. Reminding yourself about what you can lose and how using will negatively impact your future can be helpful in curbing the impulse to use. Some individuals find it helpful to carry a card that lists both positive and negative consequences to serve as

a reminder.

• Do something else: Finding a healthy activity that one can do immediately interrupts the thought process and distracts the individual from the urge to use. Healthy activities can be enjoyable and provide a sense of accomplishment. These activities should occur in a space safe from triggers.

• Utilize deep breathing exercises: Deep breathing is one of the best ways to lower stress in the body. It is a wonderful coping skill to prevent relapse as it is discreet, allowing it to be used in a variety of situations.

• Don’t Try to do it Alone: It is crucial that an individual battling SUD has a support system that they can lean on. Having a supportive sponsor or just a trustworthy person to contact can provide the extra needed support. Also, attending support groups such as AA, NA and Smart Recovery during the holiday season can provide a safe place for an individual to discuss their triggers. When attending a holiday event, having someone there to support your sobriety is monumental. It is important to alleviate the pressure of feeling like you’ll have to get through it alone.

Staying sober during the holidays can be an empowering feat, but it is important to remember that recovery is a journey and that relapses do occur. More importantly, a relapse doesn’t mean that you are a failure or that you should give up on sobriety. If you or a loved one are struggling this holiday season, or fear relapse, reach out to our team at Wellbridge at 631.840.0762 for advanced support; we are here to help you.

CHRISTOPHER YADRON, PH.D.

Strong communities are able to thrive thanks to the efforts of their residents, including those who give up their free time to volunteer with local charitable organizations. Though the impact of volunteers is often seen through the lens of the projects they help to initiate and complete, there’s no denying just how valuable

The Impact Of Volunteers

volunteers are from an economic standpoint. In its 2018 “Volunteering in America Report,” AmeriCorps, an organization dedicated to strengthening communities and fostering civic engagement through service and volunteering, reported that Americans volunteered nearly 6.9 billion hours worth an estimated $167 billion in

2017. Volunteering figures to be even more valuable in the months and years ahead as towns, cities and countries look to recover from a global pandemic that claimed millions of lives and devastated economies big and small. As the world attempts to rebuild itself once the pandemic has ended, volunteers can play vital roles in reestablishing

their communities. In fact, many people have already made that recognition. According to data from the professional social networking site LinkedIn, the site’s users had added more than 110,00 volunteer activities to their profiles between the early stages of the pandemic in 2020 and the end of summer 2020.

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TO place an ad in the CLASSIFIED section, call 631-226-2636, press “2” A sales representative will be happy to assist you

TO place an ad in the CLASSIFIED section, call 631-226-2636, press “2” A sales representative will be happy to assist you

TO place an ad in the CLASSIFIED section, call 631-226-2636, press “2” A sales representative will be happy to assist you

TO place an ad in the CLASSIFIED section, call 631-226-2636, press “2”

A sales representative will be happy to assist you

TO place an ad in the CLASSIFIED section, call 631-226-2636, press “2”

A sales representative will be happy to assist you

TO place an ad in the CLASSIFIED section, call 631-226-2636, press “2” A sales representative will be happy to assist you

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Long Island Elite Great Gatsby Gala Celebrates Organization’s 20th Anniversary

Continued From 3

UCP of Long Island has been committed to advancing the independence, productivity, and full citizenship of people with disabilities by creating Life Without Limits. The Children’s Center, located in Commack, has provided over 60 years of excellence in educational services

including preschool, school-age programs and early intervention services tailored to meet the physical, cognitive, and emotional needs of children with disabilities from birth to 21 years of age. The Children’s Center currently serves over 80 infants and children through age 21, with a wide range of developmental disabilities and diagnoses.

Together, the L.I.E. and UCP of Long Island strive to improve the quality of life for individuals and families who have children with disabilities. Please help us by supporting this year’s 20th Anniversary Gala.

For information on how you can support the Long Island Elite and UCP of Long Island, visit www. longislandelite.com or email info@longislandelite. com.

About the Long Island Elite

The Long Island Elite is a registered 501(c)3 nonprofit organization that is dedicated to fostering the development of Long Island’s business and philanthropic communities. Its core goal is to bring business professionals together to support each other’s careers through a variety of networking, business and community functions. The organization takes a leadership role in helping local nonprofits raise money and gain more recognition. As a philanthropic liaison, Long Island Elite provides forums such as special

events, outreach programs, and fundraising support to help its annual charity

partner organization grow and thrive.