October 8, 2025 West Islip by Long Island Media Group

South Bay's Neighbor

Order Sons and Daughters of Italy in America Long Island Districts and Town of Babylon

POST COLUMBUS DAY PARADE

ITALIAN HERITAGE AND CULTURE

F AMIL Y FES TIV AL

SPONS ORED BY

CONSTANTINO BRUMIDI LODGE #22211

2075 DEER PARk A VE, DEER PARk, NY

Free Parking on Lake Ave. across from the Deer Park Fire Depart (with FREE Shuttle service to the festival) and on the surrounding streets around the Lodge.

INSID E **

LIVE

SHARE the WEALTH SUPER SLIDE

SEATING AREA PETTING ZOO FALL HARVEST FACE PAINTING

Craft and Merchandise Vendors (Just in time for all your Holiday Shopping Needs) RAFFLE BASKETS

OCTOBER HAPPENINGS

WEDNESDAY, OCT. 8th

12:00PM-4:00PM

SENIOR CITIZEN FALL FEST LUNCHEON

Join The New Serenaders at The Irish Coffee Pub for a Fall Fest Luncheon Party. Enjoy an afternoon of delicious food, drink, singing, and dancing fun. Included will be a 3-course meal with choice of entree, unlimited beer, wine, soda, dessert, coffee, tea, music, and more. The Irish Coffee Pub is located at 131 Carleton Ave. in East Islip. For more informaton, please call 631-277-0007

THURSDAY, OCT. 9th

7:00PM

HISTORY OF WANTAGH

Tom Watson of the Wantagh Preservation Society will talk on the History of Wantagh. Seaford Historical Society, at the museum 3890 Waverly Ave. in Wantagh. For more information, please call Judy Bongiovi 516-783-8629

6:45PM-8:30PM

BOY SCOUT TROOP 1 INTEREST NIGHT

St Joseph’s Roman Catholic Church 39 N. Carll Ave, Babylon Village. Are you a young man that is looking for adventure, personal challenge and community service? Come and meet the Scouts of Troop 1 Babylon and ﬁnd out what we do to cover those goals. For more information, please call 631290-1314

7:00PM

LINDENHURST HOMEMAKERS EVENING GROUP

HOLIDAYS

13th - COLUMBUS DAY

INDIGENOUS PEOPLES' DAY 31st - HALLOWEEN

MAKE A SUBMISSION!

Events must be submitted at least two weeks prior to the event date and will run free of charge on a space available basis. For more information, please call 631.226.2636 x275 or send events to editorial@longislandmediagroup.com

at the North Amityville Senior Center 48 Cedar Rd. in Amityville. (off of New Hwy.) Open to all, 18 years old & up. Meetings start at 7:00pm, new members should arrive 15 min. early. For more information, please call Lisa LeBrie 516-413-7467

SATURDAY, OCT. 11th

1:00PM

2025 LONG ISLAND COLUMBUS DAY PARADE AND ITALIAN HERITAGE FESTIVAL

The Town of Babylon is proud to host the 2025 Long Island Columbus Day Parade and Italian Heritage Festival. Presented by the New York State Grand Lodge of the Order Sons and Daughters of Italy in America. Following the parade, the celebration continues with the Post-Columbus Day Italian Heritage and Culture Family Festival at the Constantino Brumidi Lodge #2211 in Deer Park, from 1:30 p.m. to 9:00 p.m. Free parking available on Lake Avenue (across from Deer Park Fire Department) with shuttle service to the Lodge, plus street parking nearby.

1:00PM-6:00PM

ANNUAL BREAST CANCER FUNDRAISER

Division 2 of the Ancient Order of Hibernians will be hosting its annual Breast Cancer Fundraiser, at the Irish Cultural Center in Babylon Village. This event supports two vital community organizations - the Babylon Breast Cancer Coalition and the West Islip Breast Cancer Coalition - which provide direct

assistance to local individuals and families affected by this devastating disease. This is a 100% volunteerled event, and every dollar raised goes directly to these two frontline organizations. For more information, please call Ron Rice, Event Chairman, 631-335-7191 Email: ronrice107@gmail.com, Lucinda Lauro-Rooney, Event CoChair, Email: Lucindadiv2@gmail. com

WEDNESDAY, OCT. 15th

7:00PM-9:00PM

THE DEVIL IN NEW YORKTHE WITCHCRAFT TRIAL OF GOODY GARLICK

The Historical Society of Islip Hamlet will host Tara Rider and her presentation "The Devil in New York - The Witchcraft Trial of Goody Garlick". Years before the 1692 Salem witch hunts began, accusations ran rampant. The program will be held at the Islip Public Library, 71 Monell Ave. Free and open to the public. For more information on this, our 2026 Holiday House Tour or to become a member, visit www. isliphamlethistory.org, or call 631559-2915

SATURDAY, OCT. 18th

10:00AM-3:00PM ST. PATRICK’S CHURCH THRIFT SHOP / YARD SALE

(Rain or Shine) Thrift Shop Special Event “Pack A Bag” ($5.00) many new items in all categories, Rent A Table - $25.00. 305 Carll’s Path in Deer Park. For more information, please call 631-242-7530

Drive through a suburban neighborhood in October and it’s likely you will find yards filled with inflatable witches, animatronic grim reapers and makeshift graveyards bearing witty sayings on tombstone and bony hands reaching out from the soil.

Decorating Homes For Halloween

Decorating for Halloween has become big business, with consumers spending a collective $10.6 billion in this category in the United States in 2022, according to a survey conducted by Prosper Insights & Analytics and the National

Retail Federation. In fact, decorations, particularly outdoor decorations, were the second most popular way to celebrate Halloween (candy still reigns supreme).

According to research by LombardoHome.com, which looked at Google searches across the country, Las Vegas, Denver, Baltimore, Portland, Oregon, and Seattle were

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home into a Halloween haunt to remember.

• Decide on a theme. Most people fall into one of two camps when decorating for Halloween. There are those who want their homes to be frightening and full of horrific details, and others who prefer more of a fall harvest look. Identify your preferences and then gather decorative items accordingly.

• Shop early/late. Ideally, the

best time to buy Halloween decorations is the day after the holiday when prices get slashed (pun intended). This is the time to stock up on items for next year. You can save anywhere from 50 to 70 percent when buying late in the season. For those who need new items for this year’s Halloween, close-out retailers like HomeGoods and TJ

Victoria Kokolakis

Stephan Schulze

Kerry Mastrobuoni

Nicole Sims

Kim Volz

Bonnie Schifano

Lucille Moran

Terry Rydyzynski

Noelle Lambert

the top five states that searched the most for Halloween decorations on average per capita. Carved pumpkins, skeletons and witch cauldrons topped the list of preferred Halloween decorations in America.

Halloween is an opportunity to pull out all the stops for this fun fall celebration. The following tips can help to turn any

The Devil in New York - The Witchcraft Trial of Goody Garlick

On Wednesday, Oct. 15th, the Historical Society of Islip Hamlet will host Tara Rider and her presentation on the Goody Garlick trial. Years before the 1692 Salem witch hunts began, accusations ran rampant in the colonies. To understand what happened in New York and why the fear of witches existed, the Garlick trial will act as a

lens to understand the hysteria associated with these accusations. The program will be held at the Islip Public Library, 71 Monell Ave, 7-9 pm, and is free and open to the public. For more information, visit www. isliphamlethistory.org or call 631-559-2915.

Did You Know?

According to Harvard Health Publications, people who routinely volunteer are less likely than nonvolunteers to develop cardiovascular issues, including high blood pressure.

Community service is a great way to strengthen one’s community and build relationships with neighbors. But the benefits of volunteering go beyond building communities.

Studies have found that individuals who volunteer have lower mortality rates than non-volunteers.

A study published in the journal Health Psychology found that people who volunteered for selforiented reasons had similar mortality risk as nonvolunteers, while those who volunteered to help others had a lower mortality risk than non-volunteers.

West Islip Joins National League Learning Collaboratives To Elevate Educator Recruitment And Retention

Through the League of Innovative Schools, West Islip Union Free School District is specifically participating in the Educator Recruitment and Retention LLC. Photo courtesy of West Islip Union Free School District

In 2025, West Islip Union Free School District joined the League of Innovative Schools, a national network of school districts that connects and supports the nation’s most forward-thinking leaders in education. The League is dedicated to innovative learning and leadership practices to achieve equitable outcomes for every student. One key way superintendents and district leaders realize such innovation and change is through the League Learning Collaboratives.

The 2025-26 LLCs focus on pressing topics in education, including AI literacy, career readiness and workforce development, and educator recruitment and retention. League leaders choose the learning collaborative in which they want to participate based on their district’s needs and interests, and meet

regularly to engage in peerto-peer learning, co-create solutions, and share best practices. West Islip Union Free School District is specifically participating in the Educator Recruitment and Retention LLC.

Organized by Digital Promise and facilitated by current or former superintendents with extensive experience in these focus areas, LLCs provide an interactive space for school district leaders across roles to discuss and explore tangible strategies for addressing shared problems of practice around these key issues. Each collaborative centers on a topic directly aligned to the Digital Promise Challenge Map — areas nationally identified as critical for student success.

` Over the next six months, West Islip Union Free School District will join other leading districts across the nation

to explore challenges, share promising practices, and collaborate toward meaningful, common goals. These professional learning communities provide a supportive space to gain new ideas, receive accountability for implementation, and strengthen the impact of the network by fostering innovation and accelerating growth.

Through the LLCs, West Islip Union Free School District can contribute to a national community of practice while bringing back tested strategies, leadership insights, and tangible outputs that can be applied to strengthen our schools and directly benefit our students and educators. In all, school and district leaders from 61 school districts across 19 states will participate in one or more learning collaboratives for the 2025-26 school year.

Vote for Islip’s Apple Festival In Best of LI 2026

The Town of Islip’s beloved Apple Festival has been nominated for Best Annual Event in the Best of Long Island 2026 competition. Residents can show their support and help showcase the Town’s wonderful community spirit by voting once per day at: https://bestoftheboro. secondstreetapp.com/ og/683444f4-3774-4656-

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Alongside the nomination, the community is invited to enjoy the 45th Annual Apple Festival on Saturday, October 25, 2025, from 10:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. at the Islip Grange in Sayville. The festival will feature a Scarecrow Contest, craft vendors, a family fun zone, amusement rides,

pony rides, a petting zoo, a festival food court, fresh apple desserts, and live music throughout the day. Admission and shuttle bus service from the Sayville Train Station are completely FREE.

Come join our festival, nominated one of the best in Long Island, and vote today in honor of our 45th year!

Francese

• Eggplant Parmigiana

• Chicken Parmigiana

Spaghetti

Rigatoni

Stuffed Shells (16

• Shrimp Oreganata +$15

Sausage & Peppers

Chicken

Sundried Tomatoes & Broccoli

Eggplant Rollatine

Shrimp Parmigiana +$15

Meatballs

by The Original Salpino of Wantagh, N. Babylon

External Diploma Program

The National External Diploma Program offers adults 21 and over, the opportunity to receive credit for their life experiences, and earn a high school equivalency diploma without the challenge of taking lengthy timed examinations.

NEDP, is a competency based program for students who are unable to attend classes or who prefer to work at home. Successful candidates

for NEDP include former ESL students, students who have been out of school for prolonged periods of time, or students who fare better without the structure of tests. This program is an alternative to other programs. Anyone interested should call Western Suffolk BOCES to meet with a counselor. Call 667-6000, Ext. 327 to register.

The Town of Babylon will proudly host the 2025 Long Island Columbus Day Parade and Italian Heritage Festival on Saturday, October 11. Presented by the New York State Grand Lodge of the Order Sons and Daughters of Italy in America, the parade will feature lodges,

community organizations, marching bands, and floats in a vibrant display of Italian-American pride and tradition. Following the parade, the celebration continues with the PostColumbus Day Italian Heritage and Culture Family Festival at the Constantino Brumidi

Lodge #2211 in Deer Park, from 1:30 p.m. to 9:00 p.m.

The festival will include live entertainment, cultural displays, family attractions such as rides and seasonal activities, as well as food trucks, Italian cuisine, vendors, and raffles. This annual event is one of Long Island’s most anticipated

celebrations, expected to draw thousands of visitors for a day of music, food, family fun, and cultural pride.

Free parking available on Lake Avenue (across from Deer Park Fire Department) with shuttle service to the Lodge, plus street parking nearby.

Dozens Of West Islip Student-Musicians Selected For Festivals

ALL-COUNTY -

Congratulations to the West Islip High School students who were recently selected to participate in the 2025 New York State School Music Association All-State Festival. This prestigious festival features the most outstanding musicians from New York State: James Aspetti (symphonic band), Natalie Aspetti (symphony orchestra), Bruno Basile (symphonic band), Ruslan Ermakov (symphonic band and wind ensemble), Colin German (symphony orchestra), Robert Marrali (wind ensemble), Gavin Pollock (symphonic band and mixed chorus) and Ellianna Wolhar (treble chorus).

In addition, West Islip High School juniors and seniors were selected to participate in the 67th annual New York State Council of Administrators of Music Education All-County Festival. This prestigious event includes the most accomplished musicians from the county. The concert will be held at Hauppauge High School on Nov. 14. Congratulations to the following students: James Aspetti (symphonic band), Natalie Aspetti (orchestra and treble choir), Bruno Basile (symphonic band), Nicholas Esposito (orchestra), Leah Gallagher (symphonic band), Colin German (orchestra), Zachary McGrath (symphonic band), Robert Marrali (symphonic band), Nico Mastroddi (mixed chorus), Gavin Pollock (symphonic band and mixed chorus), Charlie Roman (mixed chorus), Cara Thaxter (mixed chorus) and Ellianna Wolhar (mixed chorus).

Lastly, three West Islip High School accomplished music composers were recognized for the 2025 New York State School Music Association’s 26th annual Student Electronic Showcase. This competition features the top student music composers from New York State. James Kennedy will have his composition, “Ambata,” performed in Rochester at the concert venue. Charlie DellUniversita was selected as an honorable mention for his composition, “A Relentless Echo,” and Robert Marrali was selected as an honorable mention for his composition, “The Final Battle.”

Photos courtesy of West Islip Union Free School District

Pictured with West Islip’s All-County students are Principal Andrew O'Farrell, Director of Art and Music Education Eric Albinder, Band Director David Kaufman, Chorus Director Melissa Senatore, Orchestra Director William Willis, Orchestra Director Ryan Jensen and Band Director Victoria Kavitt.

ALLSTATE - Pictured with West Islip’s All-State students are Principal Andrew O'Farrell, Director of Art and Music Education Eric Albinder, Band Director David Kaufman, Chorus Director Melissa Senatore and Orchestra Director William Willis.

COMPOSERS

Three West Islip High School students were recognized for the 2025 New York State School Music Association’s 26th annual Student Electronic Showcase. They are pictured with Principal Andrew O'Farrell, Director of Art and Music Education Eric Albinder and music technology teacher William Willis.

Spend the day exploring one of these orchards and pick your favorites right from the tree.

U-Pick Orchards Across Long Island

Breeze Hill Farm & Preserve 31215 County RoadRoute 48, Peconic, 631876-5159

Over 75 acres, they offer 26 varieties of apples.

Hank’s PumpkinTown 240 Montauk Highway, Water Mill, 631-726-4667

Long Islanders can pick a wide range of apples, including Ultimate Gala, McIntosh, Honeycrisp, Daybreak Fuji, Cortland, Macoun, Empire, Snow Sweet, Jonagold, Autumn Gala, Cameo, SunCrisp, Mutsu and Autumn Rose Fuji.

Harbes Orchard 5698 Sound Ave., Riverhead, 631-683-8388

Apple Picking is available at Harbes’ Riverhead location, which has 15-acres of 27 types of

apples on dwarf trees, including Honeycrisp, Daybreak Fuji, Gala and Gold Rush.

Harbes Farms Jamesport 1223 Main Road, Jamesport, 631-494-4796

Honeycrisp apple picking is available at Harbes’ Jamesport location, has 7 acres of Honeycrisp apples on dwarf trees.

Jericho Cider Mill 213 Route 106, Jericho, 516- 433-3360

Lewin Farms 812 Sound Ave., Calverton,

631-929-4327

Long Islanders can pick their own Gala, Honeycrisp and Macoun apples.

Milk Pail U-Pick Farm 50 Horsemill Lane, Water Mill, 631-537-2565

Long Islanders can pick from their Jonamac, McIntosh, Sansa and Zestar.

Seven Ponds Orchard 65 7 Ponds Road, Water Mill, 631-726-8015

People can select Gingergold, Redfree and Zestar apples.

Decorating Homes For Halloween

Continued From 6

Maxx start putting out Halloween products in the middle of summer. Stock up as soon as you see items, as they’re not likely to remain on shelves for long. By the time October rolls around, decorations may be gone.

• Subtle touches can work. Though some people just love covering every square foot of a property with all things Halloween, it’s also possible to make a big impact with minimal effort. Lighting, or lack

thereof, can create a spooky atmosphere. Swap existing porch lights with yellow or even black lights so everything glows. Candles flickering can add mystery. Place some battery-powered or electric candles in windows for an eerie feel. Swap out your typical curtains with purple or black ones to drape the house in even more spooky appeal.

• Wait on the carved pumpkins. Halloween seldom is complete without jack-o’-lanterns.

But pumpkins often begin to degrade shortly after they’re first carved. Use artificial pumpkins if you plan to decorate early; otherwise, wait until a day or two before Halloween to add freshly carved pumpkins to the Halloween scape. Children can come up with the design, but ensure only adults cut into the pumpkins. Homeowners can quickly and easily transform their homes into spooky haunts this Halloween.

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PSEG Long Island Reminds Customers:

The Best Time To Prepare For Natural Disasters Is Today

With hurricane season entering peak activity, PSEG Long Island reminds customers to prepare ahead of time for disasters and emergencies.

“Natural disasters and other emergencies can disrupt access to goods and services that support our day-to-day lives. Taking the time to prepare and having a plan limits the negative impact an emergency has on your household,” said David Lyons, interim president and COO of PSEG Long Island. “The safety of our employees, customers and contractors has always been PSEG Long Island’s top priority, and we partner with groups like the United Way to help spread the word.”

PSEG Long Island’s ongoing system improvements and enhancements to the grid help provide electric reliability to Long Island and the Rockaways throughout the year.

Here’s how customers can prepare for a severe storm and other emergencies:

• Ensure you have a

battery-powered radio and fresh batteries.

• Check your supply of flashlights, blankets, nonperishable food and bottled water.

• Create an emergency communications plan.

• Develop an evacuation plan.

• Charge your cell phones, tablets and other mobile devices.

• Make sure to have cash available. Banks may be closed or inaccessible after a storm.

• Fill up your vehicle’s fuel tank.

• Bring in unsecured objects and furniture from patios and balconies.

• Compile a list of emergency phone numbers, including PSEG Long Island’s 24hour Electric Service number: 1-800-4900075.

• Discuss storm and lightning safety with your family. Visit psegliny. com/safetyandreliability/ stormsafety for safety

tips, YouTube safety videos and more.

• Follow PSEG Long Island on Facebook and X (formerly Twitter) for updates before, during and after the storm.

• Be aware that downed wires should always be considered “live.” Do not approach or drive over a downed line, and do not touch anything it might be in contact with. If a wire falls on or near your car, stay inside the car, call 911 and do not get out until PSEG Long Island de-energizes the line. If you MUST exit the vehicle because it is on fire, jump as far as possible away from the vehicle, with both feet landing on the ground at the same time, and hop or shuffle away.

Critical Care Program

PSEG Long Island understands the critical need for power when lifesupport equipment is in use. While it is the customer’s responsibility to plan ahead to meet their medical needs if the power goes out, eligible

customers can receive enhanced notifications by enrolling in the Critical Care Program. When there is severe weather, PSEG Long Island will stay in touch with these customers and make every effort to restore power as soon as possible. However, there may be circumstances when timely restoration is difficult, particularly in the case of a severe storm, and participation in the Critical Care Program does not guarantee priority power restoration.

Customers can visit https:// www.psegliny.com/Outages/ Storm PrepandRestoration/ criticalcareprogram to learn more.