_________________ bellmore ________________
HERALD $1.00 $1.00
Student goes far in competition
Home purchased for record amount
Pirates’ season continues
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Vol. 24 No. 42
october 14 - 20, 2021
‘Great Give Back’ returns to libraries dren’s department at the Bellmore Memorial Library, said. “This is something we look forBellmore’s and Merrick’s ward to doing every year.” In libraries will once again take past years, the library’s propart in the Great Give Back this grams have included pet food month, a community event cele- and toy drives, as well as food brating public service. Spear- drives for local pantries or chariheaded by the Suffolk County ties. Public Library “The past couple Directors Associaof years, we’ve done tion in 2017, the inifood drives,” tiative expanded to Pagones said. Even Nassau County though the Great libraries in 2018. Give Back is usually “The purpose of only one day, she the Great Give Back added, “We said, is to provide a day of ‘Let’s dedicate a opportunity for whole month to this patrons of public and get as much food libraries in New as we can.’” York state to partici- PAm PAGoNeS The food from pate in meaningful Bellmore Memorial this year’s drive will service-oriented be donated to the Library experiences,” North Bellmore-Mer rick Bellmore Public Central High School L i b r a r y D i r e c t o r Je s s i c a District’s Community Cupboard, Tymecki explained. and will feed about 50 local famiThis year, the Great Give lies. Back is on Saturday, although “It’s student-run — nice and several libraries have created local,” Pagones said of the Cupservice-oriented initiatives and board. “We know it’s going to the programs that often span weeks, people who need it.” This was or even the entire month of the library’s second year workOctober. ing with the Cupboard. “We love the Great Give Back The drive is accepting non— we’re really excited,” Pamela Pagones, the head of the chilContinued on page 4
by JorDAN VAlloNe jvallone@liherald.com
t
Courtesy Dave Manara
bellmore-merrick roller Hockey alumni reunited to win a Long Island-wide tournament. Clockwise from top left were Chris Sharkey, Andrew Barone, Jon Olson, Mike Mascaro, Steve Sharkey, Jerry Gioia, Dave Manara and Mike Scardigno.
In Bellmore-Merrick, roller hockey is a legacy by ANDreW GArciA agarcia@liherald.com
The close friends who grew up together playing hockey at the Bellmore-Merrick Roller Hockey rink never grew far apart. Recently, they reunited — along with some younger players — to win the Long Island Alumni Series Hockey Tournament. “We grew up playing down at the rink,” said Dave Manara, 39, a member of the board of directors of the facil-
ity, which hosts an instructional league for those ages 6 and up and was founded by Ted Manara, Dave’s father. “It’s one of the oldest on Long Island,” Dave said. It was Manara who learned of the tournament and called some of his former teammates, who were all excited to gear up. “When Dave gave us a call, it was an honor,” said Steve Sharkey, 39, a former BMRH player whose parents were also active in the organization. Along with
Jerry Gioia, the friends started traveling together as a team at age 11 or so. At the tournament, Sept. 25 and 26 at a rink in Plainview, the competition was fierce, but none came more determined than the Bellmore-Merrick team. It went undefeated against teams from, Bayport, Levittown, Middle Country, PatchogueMedford, Rocky Point and Sachem, winning six games and outscoring its opponents Continued on page 18
his is something we look forward to doing every year.