January 18, 2023 West Islip

STUDENTS CREATE LITTLE LENDING LIBRARY - Students in Ms. Pope’s FUNctional technology class at Beach Street Middle School in the West Islip School District recently created a Little Lending Library. The library will be on display in the school’s lobby and reads “Take a Book/Leave a Book.” When the weather improves, the plan is to do an official ribbon-cutting ceremony and move the library outdoors. The students in Ms. Villani’s class will oversee stocking and monitoring the books in the library. Photo courtesy of West Islip School District

West Islip McDonald's Hosts Magic Show

Bird Walk

At Hempstead Lake State Park

Join the South Shore Audubon Society on a bird walk at Hempstead Lake State Park on Sunday, January 22, starting at 9:00 am.

All are welcome. Walk leaders and other birders and nature enthusiasts will be happy to share

their knowledge and experience with you.To register, text your name and contact information to Joe Landesberg at 516 4679498. Bring binoculars. The bird walk is free of charge.

The group will meet in Parking Field #3,

Exit 18 South, from the Southern State Parkway. Rain or snow will cancel the bird walk. For more information, log onto www.ssaudubon.org. We follow Covid protocols in effect at the time of walk.

WEST ISLIP MCDONALD'S HOSTS MAGIC SHOW - On Saturday, January 7, the West Islip McDonald's located at 131 Sunrise Highway held an Amazing Magic Show that entertained children and their families from the West Islip community. This was the last of several family-fun events celebrating the Grand Reopening of this location, owned and operated by the Liedtke Organization. The food drive in collaboration with Long Island Cares, benefitting Long Islanders in need, was a big success.

in January. He is pictured (from left) with West Islip High School Principal Dr. Anthony Bridgeman, band director James Krais and West Islip School District’s Director of Art and Music Education Eric Albinder.

of West Islip School District

Bank Of America Donates $50K To Island Harvest, LI Cares Through Booster And Flu Shot Initiative

Island Harvest Food Bank and Long Island Cares-The Harry Chapin Regional Food Bank received a $50,000 donation from Bank of America to help address food insecurity on Long Island. This donation represents the second phase of the employee booster campaign launched earlier this year, which provided $75,000 to Island Harvest and Long Island Cares.

The donation is part of a unique program to encourage bank employees to receive an annual flu shot and/or coronavirus vaccine or booster, while also investing in the community. Bank of America donated $50 per shot to the organizations for each employee on Long Island who received a coronavirus vaccine, booster shot and/or flu shot before November 23.

“The economic fallout from the coronavirus has significantly increased demand for services from Island Harvest and Long Island Cares,” said Marc Perez, President, Bank of America Long Island. “Despite the difficulties of recent years, these organizations have remained steadfast in their work to address food insecurity. Likewise, Bank of America continues to be deeply committed to supporting hunger relief

efforts on Long Island.”

An estimated 230,000 people on Long Island face food insecurity. Since the onset of the pandemic, Bank of America has provided $575,000 to Island Harvest and Long Island Cares to support local hunger-relief efforts. Bank of America has committed nearly $19 million to local hunger relief organizations across the U.S. and Puerto Rico through its two employee booster campaigns.

JAZZ MUSICIAN SELECTED FOR SCMEA ENSEMBLE - West Islip High School junior Thomas Kerrigan was recently selected to perform with the Suffolk County Music Educators’ Association All-County Jazz Ensemble. This prestigious group includes only 17 of the best jazz musicians in the Suffolk County. In addition to the performance in East Islip, Kerrigan will be performing at the Melville Marriott

Photo courtesy

Beach Street Student-Artists Selected For Exhibit

STUDENT-ARTISTS SELECTED FOR EXHIBIT -

from

Street Middle School in the West Islip School District –

Mushorn – had their paintings selected for the Long Island Museum’s

of Long Island Student Art Exhibit in Stony Brook. The exhibit will run from Feb. 17 through April 8, Thursday through Sunday, from 12-5 p.m. From left, Eric Albinder, West Islip School District’s director of art and music, Amanda Harvey, Beach Street Middle School assistant principal, Jill Culver, Beach Street Middle School art teacher, and Andrew O’Farrell, Beach Street Middle School principal. Photo courtesy of West Islip School District

Two students

Beach

Amanda Guimaraes and Matthew

Colors

Helping You Help Others

By Noelle Lambert

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

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!

“2023 will be a year of physical growth with our new educational center and treatment clinic, as well as spiritual growth by continuing to serve the many who need our 13 acre farm and herd to help them heal from trauma, grow in personal strength and learn new things to brighten their future,” said Lisa Gatti, Founder of Pal-O-Mine Equestrian. The organization will be o ering various events throughout 2023, some of which are noted below.

February 15th they will kick-o a 3 month virtual Hay Drive Fundraiser. “We’ve been holding this Fundraiser once a year for 3 years now because in the last few years the cost of hay has tripled,” said Lisa. “Every penny donated through this fundraiser goes directly to helping us buy hay for our herd. I’d like to warmly thank everyone in advance for their support and donations, it truly helps us more than you know.” This year they are proud to o er a new text to donate feature. More information is available on their website (www.pal-o-mine.org).

Additionally, May 3rd through May 7th from 9:30AM-2:30PM they are holding their annual J-STEP Spring Craft Fair at their farm, located at 829 Old Nichols Road in Islandia. J-STEP, which stands for Job Security Through Equine Partnership, is their Vocational Program. The program o ers a paid internship that runs 5 days per week for people with disabilities who are 18 years or older. Every item showcased at this fair is handcrafted by the J-STEP interns.

Lastly, May 4th from 6PM-9PM they will hold a Stable Spirits Art Show and Auction in their barn. This will be a night you won’t want to miss, filled with local wine and cheese, creativity and philanthropy! Pal-O-Mine will proudly feature up and coming artists in individual “stalls” in the barn and proceeds from each sale will go towards building their new educational center and clinic.

If you are interested in finding out more about their J-STEP Program or learning about the opportunity to have your art displayed at the Stable Spirits Art Show, contact Tessa at TessaVF@pal-o-mine. org. For more general information about Pal-O-Mine, call 631-348-1389, visit their website (www.pal-o-mine.org), Like them on Facebook and Follow them on Instagram.

West Islip’s Athletic Hall of Fame 2023 inductees

The West Islip High School Athletic Hall of Fame Committee is sponsoring the 10th Hall of Fame Induction ceremony on May 6. This year’s ceremony will honor 24 outstanding former athletes and coaches.

An unveiling ceremony will take place at West Islip High School at 6 p.m. followed by an induction ceremony and dinner at Captain Bill’s Restaurant in Bay Shore. Tickets for the

induction ceremony will be available in the near future.

This year’s inductees are: Rod Alzmann (2007); Lindsay Aponte (2010); Ben Arikian (2006); Krista Bergquist-Smith (2006); Ian Braddish (2009); Scott Craig (1972/ Coach); Joan FauvellBenjamin (1977); Alex Fernan (2008); Amanda Filippazzo (2008); Dennis J. Fitzharris (1997); Jacqueline FitzharrisBanach (1996); Nicholas Galasso (2010); Kyle

Gelling (2009); Andrew Hodgson (2010); Codi-lynn Johnson (2010); Caitlin KeaneBisconti (2008); Sean Keller (2009); Nicholas Mattera (2010); Michael McCormack (2009); Caitlyn McElroy (2006); Sean Messina (2008); Walter “Chip” Schmidt (2002 Posthumously); Taylor Troyano-Gonzalez (2009); and Ed Wagner (1970).

Snowball Dinner At Westminster United Presbyterian Church

Snowball Dinner on Saturday, February 11, 2023 from 5:30-8:30pm at Westminster United Presbyterian Church, 109 Udall Road, West Islip. Eat

good food, play games, win raffle prizes and have a ball! $10.00 for adults, $5.00 for children. Free for children 3 and under. Tickets are limited so please purchase

yours as soon as possible. Please call 631-661-6740 for tickets and more information."

Samaritan

We do more than provide state-of-the-art treatment and compassionate care. We educate the physicians of the future, while expanding the medical capabilities of the entire Catholic Health system. We’re ensuring that Long Islanders will be taken care of with the most advanced medical technology, integrity, and compassion…now and forever.

Lustgarten Foundation

(NAPSI)—The world’s largest private funder of pancreatic cancer research, the Lustgarten Foundation, is dedicated to curing this devastating disease—and you can help with a donation. To learn more about the condition and what you can do, visit www.lustgarten.org or call toll-free 866-7891000.

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

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”

TO

press 276

Hints For Home Buyers

Debunking The Five Myths That Deter

(NAPSI)—Buying a home can seem daunting, especially for first-time homebuyers facing record housing prices, tight supply, and rising interest rates. Quite often, misconceptions about homeownership discourage prospective buyers from starting a search even before it begins.

The good news is homeownership can be much closer than you think. Lisa Frison, Head of Financial Inclusion and Racial Equity at Citi, recalls that growing up her parents rented their home for years before eventually becoming firsttime homebuyers. “Even so, I found myself struggling to understand what I needed to do and what resources were available to me when I was ready to buy my first home nearly a decade later,” she says. Here Frison debunks these Top 5 Myths to help you get on track to building generational wealth through homeownership.

1. I Don’t Have Credit (a FICO Score). Nearly 11% of Americans (50 million people) are “credit invisible,” according to the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency, meaning they have no or limited credit history. This disproportionately affects diverse and underserved communities. To help, Citi’s

HomeRun mortgage program offers non-traditional ways to demonstrate credit readiness, such as providing proof of paying rent, utilities or other monthly payments.

2. I Don’t Have Enough Money Saved. You may have more money than you think. Many banks offer programs for new homebuyers that do not require mortgage insurance for those qualifying. Also, HomeRun has some mortgages for as little as 3% down, with a minimum 1% borrower contribution. This, along with the bank’s Lender Paid Assistance, which provides up to $7,500 closing cost funds that do not need to be paid back, saves qualifying borrowers thousands of dollars in closing costs, helping them afford more house. These programs are offered only in select markets and have income limitations.

3. I Should Start House Hunting with a Realtor. It seems logical to begin with a real estate agent but your best bet may be to start with your lender, who can explore homebuyer assistance programs with you and give you a realistic view of what you can afford through a prequalification or pre-approval. A real estate agent will then narrow the search to help you find the right home for you and your budget.

Homeownership

4. I Earn Too Much to Qualify for Assistance. Lender assistance programs may be more expansive than you think, especially in response to inflation and rising home prices. For example, Citi has increased lending assistance to borrowers with income up to 120% of median income— up from 80% of the median local income. The bank’s loan officers can tell customers where their income is relative to the local median family income and also whether a property is located in an eligible census tract.

5. I Should Keep Renting Because I Missed the Market and Now I’m Priced Out. Firsttime or affordable homebuyer programs can help you get on the path to buying a home you can afford. Remember, a home is more than a place to live and build memories—it is a way to build wealth that you can pass on to future generations. That’s something you can’t achieve by renting.

Learn More

For more information, visit www.citi.com/mortgage/ community-lendinghomerun.

Recycling Is Good For The Economy

The statistics are in… recycling is not only good for the environment, but also for the economy. And a standout economic success story in recycling is HELPSY!

The environmental benefits of recycling are well documented and by themselves warrant a more sustainable lifestyle. With information gathered by the Recycling Economic Information Project (REI), an organization created in 2001 to encourage the development of an economic market for recycling and supported by the EPA, it is proven beyond a doubt that recycling not only conserves natural resources

but recycling also strengthens our economy by creating jobs, wages and creating tax revenue.

A 2020 REI report showed the recycling industry (including glass, paper, plastics, rubber, electronics, organic and construction and demolition materials) across the board created 681,000 jobs, $37.8 billion in wages, and $5.5 billion in tax revenue. Furthermore, on average… 1.17 jobs were created for every 1000 tons of recycled materials.

Rising above the rest by comparison, with 270 employees, HELPSY is the largest clothing collection

company on the East Coast and collects 15,000 tons of textiles every year…amounting to 18 jobs for every 1000 tons.

“HELPSY’s environmental mission is to radically change the way people think about clothing reuse and recycling. In the process of serving this mission, it has created hundreds of living wage jobs, saved municipalities millions of dollars in disposal fees, and has reduced the enormous environmental burden of the second most polluting industry in the world,” says Dan Green, Co-Founder and CEO of HELPSY.

Over the past year, HELPSY has worked with 113 municipal

recycling departments and collected approximately 1.7 million pounds of textiles from those collaborations. Through a combination of clothing drives, home pick-ups, thrift store partners and clothing receptacles located in 10 states, HELPSY diverts nearly 30 million pounds of textiles from landfills every year.

Considering those numbers, recycling clothes makes sense both environmentally and financially. For additional information about HELPSY or to join in our environmental preservation efforts, contact info@helpsy.co.