January 4, 2023 - January 17, 2023 Nassau Zone 1

JENNA Cute and playful young female.

ORCHID Beautiful long haired young female.

POPPIE

BROOKHAVEN ANIMAL SHELTER • 300 HORSEBLOCK ROAD, BROOKHAVEN • 631.451.6950

BARNEY

5-7 year old male. Gentle soul. Looking for a family to love.

DAHLIA 4-5 year old female. Happy and sweet girl who loves to sit right beside you.

LITTLE SHELTER

SIR SPARKLEPUFF

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

GIA 8 year old female. Full of life with lots of energy and happiness to share.

PEPPERMINT PATTY 1-2 years old male. Loves going out for walks, playtime and running.

NAPOLEON

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

CARNE ASADA

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

ROWDY

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

Friendly. Young female with personality. Amuses herself.

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.

Insurance Tips And Information

Article provided by Ken Marcus and Mitchell Barber

Shopping for Insurance

Are you old enough to remember the Sym’s slogan, “An educated consumer is our best customer?” Do you do your homework before you shop? Are you a coupon clipper? An Amazon addict?

Getting a good quote on your Auto insurance is not simply a matter of being accident free. ALL insurance companies have algorithms that rate some criteria higher than others. What is your credit score? How long do you remain with an insurer

KEN MARCUS

before leaving for a lower price? What amount of coverage do you currently maintain?

There are many, many

things that tell insurers about you and help them predict whether you will be a good client. The insurers crunch numbers to gauge how much of a risk you’ll be. We all are aware of that. But they also predict how profitable you will be over a number of years. Want to learn what will make you an attractive customer? Speak to an agent. Be respectful of the agent’s knowledge. You’ll likely learn that the agent isn’t simply a salesman. They’re often impressive educators and fiscal watchdogs.

Little Girls Need Clothing

Ethical Friends of Children, a free shop for Long Island children in need, is requesting donations of girls’ clothing, sizes 2 to 5.

This outreach program, run and supported by the Ethical Humanist Society of Long Island in Garden City, assists more than 2500 children and their families each year by providing them with clothing, backpacks for school and infant furniture. The service is set up like a store so people can select what they want from a wide variety of clothes. “As we’ve set up our winter store, we are finding a gap in our supply of clothing for little girls,” says Ethical Friends of Children Director Jim LoPresti of Massapequa Park.

Ethical Friends of Children, established in 1985, is staffed entirely by volunteers and there is no charge for any services. Individuals, families, or community groups donate gently used clothing and other things children may require, such as backpacks. Any cash donations go entirely towards purchase of needed items for children, such as diapers and formula.

“Customers” are referred by many of the area’s social service organizations and are supported by both religiously affiliated and private agencies funded by Nassau and Suffolk Counties

Volunteers are always welcome to help sort, organize and deliver clothing and goods.

To volunteer or donate,

of Children, a free shop for Long Island children in need, is requesting donations of girls’ clothing, sizes 2 to 5. Pictured: 6-year-old Yousselyn Gomez, with her mother and brother, finds a great pair of shoes at Ethical Friends of Children. Volunteers are always welcome to help sort, organize and deliver clothing and goods. To volunteer or donate, please contact office@ehsli.org or call the the Ethical Humanist Society of LI at 516-741-7304. Photo courtesy of Judy Rosemarin

please contact office@ehsli. org

Or call the the Ethical Humanist Society of LI at 516-741-7304.

-

People can also make a monetary contribution to EFC through https://www. ehsli.org/social-action/ ethical-friends-of-children/

LITTLE GIRLS NEED CLOTHING

Ethical Friends

Girl Scouts Of Nassau County Receives $1.8 Million Donation From MacKenzie Scott

Girl Scouts of Nassau County recently announced that it has received a $1.8 million donation from philanthropist MacKenzie Scott. Through this generous donation, Girl Scouts of Nassau County will accelerate programming designed to equip girls with the tools to become the next generation of powerful leaders, create new programmatic opportunities, encourage access for new communities, improve cultural competency and think outside-the-box to create new ways to meet the needs of today’s girls.

This generous gift is part of an $84.5 million donation awarded to GSUSA and 29 local councils selected by MacKenzie Scott, making this unprecedented investment the largest donation from a single individual in the national organization’s history.

“This humbling and empowering gift will accelerate our ability to provide girls with the tools and mentorship to make a difference in their communities and make

the world a better place,” said Randell Bynum, the chief executive officer of Girl Scouts of Nassau County. “At Girl Scouts of Nassau County, we see how our programming excites and inspires girls across every community we serve, and this generous contribution will further Girl Scouts mission to help our girls grow into future leaders in business, science, arts and everything in between, and will help us expand access through innovation and diversity. We are incredibly grateful for MacKenzie Scott’s commitment to supporting and uplifting young girls.”

The $1.8 million funding is expected to have an immediate impact on Girl Scouts of Nassau County’s programming. Among the planned initiatives is establishment of a new, 1250-2500 square-foot girl program center and event space in a growing Girl Scout neighborhood. This facility will strategically hold daily Girl Scout programming and also serve as flexible location for council programs, activities with community

partners, troop/service unit meetings and production studio to give girls media and content development experience.

Girl Scouts of Nassau County also plans to develop a three-year strategic plan focusing on diversity to ensure all girls have access to Girl Scouts and feel like they belong. This will include comprehensive training opportunities for staff members, DEI workshops for volunteers and implementing ageappropriate programming experiences for girls at all levels. In addition, Girl Scouts of Nassau County has also created an IDEA Lab (Innovation, Diversity, Equity and Access), which is the staff team that will focus on innovative efforts, both operational and programmatic for the organization. This will include bolstering a range of pilot programs including expanding family engagement experiences, promoting advocacy for girls and fostering mental and physical wellness, art exploration and college and career readiness.

“We are so appreciative of MacKenzie Scott’s gift to Girl Scouts. This is a great accelerator for our ongoing efforts to help girls cultivate the skills and connections to lead in their own communities and globally,” said Sofia Chang, chief executive officer of Girl Scouts of USA. “The support from all our donors, including this generous support from MacKenzie Scott is critical in delivering on our work of reimagination and transformation. We’re excited to prove how her investment in girls will change the world - because when one girl succeeds, we all succeed.”

Today’s challenges are complex, interconnected and more than ever, global. Solving them will demand collaborative leadership and innovative perspectives. Girls represent humanity’s greatest untapped talent pool and investing in them will produce the greatest return in economic development, social progress, and public health, improving not only individual lives, but the fabric of society overall.

For more information about the Girl Scouts of Nassau County and its efforts to support girls and communities throughout Nassau County, visit www. gsnc.org.

We Are Girl Scouts: Girl Scouts bring their dreams to life and work together to build a better world. Through programs in Nassau County, across Long Island and from coast to coast, Girl Scouts of all backgrounds and abilities can be unapologetically themselves as they discover their strengths and rise to meet new challenges— whether they want to climb to the top of a tree or the top of their class, lace up their boots for a hike or advocate for climate justice, or make their first best friends. Backed by trusted adult volunteers, mentors, and millions of alumni, Girl Scouts leads the way as they find their voices and make changes that affect the issues most important to them. To join us, volunteer, reconnect, or donate, visit girlscouts. org.

Did You Know?

Longevity in marriage is something to be celebrated. Couples who reach fiftieth and sixtieth wedding anniversaries often commemorate those anniversaries with big parties. But there are some around the world who would consider golden anniversary celebrants to still be newlyweds. In December 2015, Karam Chand, 110, and his wife, Kartari Chand, 103, from Bradford, West Yorkshire (originally from India), celebrated their 90th wedding anniversary, becoming the world’s longestbetrothed couple. In America, John and Ann Betar, ages 104 and 100, respectively, have been married 83 years as of 2016. The couple eloped in 1932. They have been named one of America’s longestmarried couples by the Worldwide Marriage Encounter.

Tuesdays, January 17, 24 & 31, 6:30-8:30 PM

Adult Program: Intro to Computers Classes

Registration required at levittownpl.org on the Events Calendar. These programs will be in-person.

No fee.

LOOKING

Friday, January 20, 2:00 PM

Adult Virtual Program: Chinatown and Chinese Culture. Registration required at levittownpl.org on the Events Calendar. This

program will be live on the Zoom platform. No fee.

Saturday, January 28, 1:304:00 PM

Teen Virtual Program: SAT Boot Camp. Registration required at levittownpl.org

on the Events Calendar. This program will be on the Zoom platform. No fee.

MUSIC

Sunday, January 22 from 2:00-3:15 PM

The Rockinghams, The

band will perform hits from the 60’s. Tickets required. Register at levittownpl.org on the Events Calendar. This program will be in-person. No fee.

Friday, January 27 from

7:30-8:30 PM

Live @ the LPL: Dream “A cappella” style vocals with background music. Tickets required. Register at levittownpl.org on the Events Calendar. This program will be in-person. No fee.

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.

Noelle Lambert & Bryn Elliott

MENORAH LIGHTING IN MERRICK - On Sunday, December 18, Rabbi Shimon Kramer held a Chanukah Celebration at the Merrick Train Station. The celebration was attended by dignitaries, elected officials, representation from the Jewish War Veterans, and families and friends of the Chabad Center for Jewish Life. The first candle for Chanukah was lit by one of the dignitaries that attended. There was music, dancing, and entertainment by the children who learn at the Chabad Center. Latkes (potato pancakes) and other goodies were served at the end of the festivities. Pictured: Commander Gary Glick of the Jewish War Veterans and Rabbi Shimon Kramer of the Chabad Center for Jewish Life.

Holiday Assembly For Police Officers

Holiday music and Christmas cheer filled the gymnasium at Bowling Green Elementary School in East Meadow as members of the Nassau County Police Department visited the school on Dec. 20.

Bowling Green held a

special holiday-themed assembly to celebrate police officers. Nassau County Police Commissioner Patrick Ryder emceed the assembly as he welcomed several units of the NCPD to meet and greet the students. Additionally, the police department’s

mascot, Leo the Lion, joined students in the holiday festivities.

At the end of the assembly, students shared thank-you cards with the members of the police department to show gratitude for their local officers.

Wantagh High School Play Group Adds Some Holiday Flair

Youngsters who attend Wantagh High School’s play group were in for a treat on Dec. 20, with a visit from some popular holiday characters.

The Child Development class hosts a program for preschool-age children in the community every Tuesday and Thursday. There are morning and afternoon sessions, which provide Wantagh High School students with valuable teaching experience.

“They get to apply the skills that they are learning

in the Child Development class through hands-on activities,” teacher Valerie Gompers said.

On Dec. 20, the high school and preschool students visited the library for a holiday celebration. There were visits from Santa Claus, the Grinch and Buddy the Elf. The parts were enthusiastically portrayed by Assistant Principal Dr. Christopher Widmann, Principal Dr. Paul Guzzone and Assistant Principal Nick Pappas, respectively.

Each child received a

book from Santa as a gift, which were donated by the English Language Arts department. High school students then worked with the children on crafts, coloring and reading.

Ms. Gompers said that there are morning and afternoon session play groups, which are centered on development such as knowledge of the alphabet, socialization, speech and fine and gross motor skills.

The high school students design and implement activities that foster this growth.

Smoke Detectors

Smoke detectors are the first line of defense-every level of the home needs to have properly working

smoke alarms. It’s also important to install one in every sleeping area. Test each smoke alarm

once a month. For more information, visit www. homesafetycouncil.org.

PUZZLE ANSWERS:

HOLIDAY ASSEMBLY FOR POLICE OFFICERS - Bowling Green Elementary School in East Meadow held a special holiday-themed assembly to celebrate members of the Nassau County Police Department on Dec. 20. Photo courtesy of the East Meadow Union Free School District

LEO THE LION - The police department’s mascot, Leo the Lion, joined students in the holiday festivities. Photo courtesy of the East Meadow Union Free School District

HOLIDAY ASSEMBLY FOR POLICE OFFICERS - At the end of the assembly, students shared thank-you cards with the members of the police department to show gratitude for their local officers. Photo courtesy of the East Meadow Union Free School District

PLAY GROUP ADDS SOME HOLIDAY FLAIR - Wantagh High School’s Child Development class held a special holiday event for children in its play group, with visits from Santa Claus, the Grinch and Buddy the Elf on Dec. 20. Photo courtesy of the Wantagh School District

Division Avenue Students Are Recipients Of Heisman Scholarship

Division Avenue High School in the Levittown Public School District is proud to announce that two students have been chosen as a State Winner

and the School Winner of the 2022-23 Heisman High School Scholarship award.

FAID FASAL

Faid Fasal has been selected as a State Winner of the Heisman Scholarship, while Sophia Massoni has been selected as a School Winner. The Heisman Scholarship honors the nation’s most esteemed and accomplished, community-minded senior student-athletes. By inviting male and female students from schools across the country to share their stories of leadership and impact, the program aims to inspire all students to harness their potential, push their limits, and use their talents not only

to advance their own futures, but to improve the communities and world around them.

Photos courtesy of Levittown Public Schools

SOPHIA MASSONI

East Meadow’s Cross-Country Teams Complete A Memorable Fall Season

East Meadow’s boys and girls varsity cross-country teams both enjoyed an amazing fall season.

The girls cross-country team worked throughout the season to establish themselves as one of the top teams on Long Island. They finished with an overall record of 12-1. During the regular season, and at the Nassau County Championships, the girls lost narrowly to Syosset (43-48 at the county championship). However, they managed to overcome Syosset at the Sectional Championship to win the team title and qualify for the New York State Championship for the sixth time in school history. Their top six runners all broke 21 minutes on the Bethpage State Park

course, and each earned All-County accolades. At the state championship, the team placed ninth, which was one place away from the highest finish in school history.

The team’s All-County athletes include team captains Dakota Eira and Becca Silverman, Paige Barnett, Anaya Hall, Zaria Hall and Allie Twible. All-Conference athletes include team captain Kaitlyn Podmore, Melanie Bogen, Maritsa Paul and Emily Verdon.

The boys cross-country team also had a successful season finishing at 10-3, which was good enough to place second in the Division 1B team standings and third for Conference One.

Daniel Degregori qualified individually for the New

York State Championships after running 16:24 at Bethpage State Park, the second fastest time for that course in school history. He also earned All-County honors. In addition, team captain Daniel Lindow completed a stellar year in which he went from a junior varsity runner last year to an All-County performer this season. Six more athletes, including five underclassmen, earned All-Conference honors: Team captain Sameer Grewal, Kyle Bir, Andrew Ignatiou, Sam Noyola, Anthony Palmeri and Brendan Rodriguez.

The East Meadow School District congratulates the boys and girls varsity cross-country teams for their incredible fall season.

Did You Know?

(NAPS) Symptoms of stroke include speech impairment, arm numbness and weakness, severe headache, sudden

confusion, trouble seeing out of one or both eyes, as well as uncontrollable drooping of the face. The experts at Genentech

say such signs mean you should call 9-1-1 immediately. Learn more at www.stroke.org.