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HERALD April 4, 2024
Vol. 31 No. 15
‘Buttercup’ hits the stage
First in dance competition
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APRIl 4 - 10, 2024
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Keeping Tyler McKenzie’s memory alive $30,000 for the Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center. Regi s t r at i o n i s $ 3 5 , bu t w i l l Though Tyler McKenzie increase to $40 on race day. “He wanted to become an attended schools outside Baldwin, including West Hollow advocate for young cancer Middle School and Half Hol- patients, to help them through low Hills High School East in it, because he always had a Dix Hills, his heart remained very positive attitude: ‘We’re in his hometown, where he going to fight this, we’re going to push through be gan his educathis,’” Zea McKent i o n at M i l bu r n Elementary School. zie said of her son. Tyler’s parents, “So when he Marc and Zea McKpassed, we knew enzie, are now preimmediately what paring for the we wanted to do.” T y l e r M c Ke n z i e The beneficiary Memorial Fund’s for this year’s second annual event will be the T- M a c ’s 5 K Ru n MARc McKENZIE Dana Farber Cana n d M e m o r i a l Father cer Institute in Walk this Saturday, Boston. after a successful “The run first year that celebrated their became a way of honoring son while raising awareness him,” said Zea, who now lives for cancer research. with Marc in Randolph, New Tyler was diagnosed with a Jersey. “He was my biggest rare for m of kidney cancer, cheerleader, so I knew that it translocation renal cell carci- would be something he would noma, in 2016, when he was 22. give me a thumbs up.” He died on Aug. 12, 2022, at age Though he wasn’t a runner, 28. Zea said, Tyler was a sports The run and walk will be fanatic, and had an impressive held at Baldwin Harbor Park, memory for basketball and on Grand Ave, at 10 a.m. More football statistics. As a youngthan 300 runners and walkers ster he had played in the Baldtook part in the inaugural Continued on page 13 eve n t , wh i c h r a i s e d ove r
By HERNESTo GAlDAMEZ
hgaldamez@liherald.com
H
Maureen Lennon/Herald
Easter bunny hops into town On the eve of Easter Sunday, Londyn Dewar and Olivia Rafferty met with the Easter bunny. Story, more photos, Page 10.
Gearing up for autism walk at Baldwin
Hangout One Happy Place annual event aims to raise awareness By HERNESTo GAlDAMEZ hgaldamez@liherald.com
April is Autism Awareness Month, which means the Baldwin-based Hangout One Happy Place is preparing for its annual walk to mark the occasion. Standing at the forefront of autism advocacy, the nonprofit organization aims to raise awareness for the neurological and developmental disorder and foster community support during the walk, to be held at Baldwin Harbor Park, at 3232 Grand Ave., beginning at 1 p.m. on Saturday, April 27. “When we do our autism walk, the young adults are running the show,” Angela Lucas,
founder of Hangout One Happy Place, said. “They are out, front and center, in front of everyone.” Hangout serves as a safe space for children, teens and young adults with autism to socialize and participate in a range of activities. World Autism Awareness Day is celebrated annual on April 2. Lucas has worked with many of them during her 16 years in the Baldwin School District’s special education department, first as a lunch monitor then as teacher’s aide. She founded the organization in 2019, and the following year, she was named the Baldwin Herald’s Person of the Year. The walk for autism is the organization’s flagContinued on page 11
e always felt a real kinship with Baldwin.