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HERALD Remembering the 9/11 attacks
Vol. 26 No. 38
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SEPTEMBER 14 - 20, 2023
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Courtesy North Bellmore School District
Abigail Ptacek has been donating backpacks to the North Bellmore schools for 12 years. Ptacek, right, with Janet Pollitt the assistant superintendent for curriculum and instruction.
Abigail Ptacek donates time, backpacks By JoRDAN VAlloNE jvallone@liherald.com
Abigail Ptacek fondly remembers the day she first donated backpacks to the North Bellmore School District, in the summer of 2012. She walked to Martin Avenue Elementary School, accompanied by her grandparents, Sue and Bob Ptacek, pulling a red wagon that held seven backpacks (and some of Abigail’s American Girl dolls, which came along for the ride). All these years later, her efforts to give back to those in need have not only continued, but grown tremendously. This school 202 3 HIGH SCH OOL SPORTS PREVIEW SEPTEMBER 14, 2023
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year, the district received 54 backpacks from Ptacek, 17, and her grandmother, packed with just about anything a student may need throughout the school year. “I’ve watched this young lady grow up,” North Bellmore Superintendent Marie Testa said. “Every September, end of August, I receive a phone call from Miss Abigail, as I call her, and her grandmother, Sue, who reach out to me and say ‘It’s backpack time.’ She makes me want to be a better person.”
How it started
“I think I was always raised to give back,” Ptacek told the Herald. “Is it good for the CoNtiNued oN PAge xx
There’s no place like Bellmore — but you don’t need us to tell you that. Whether you hail from north or south of Sunrise Highway, and pledge your allegiance to Mepham or Kennedy High School, Bellmore is a place worth being immensely proud of. It is full of kind people, an amazing fire department, wonderful restaurants, coffee shops and eateries, and pristine downtowns along both Bedford Avenue and Merrick Road. When Bellmore neighbors come together in times of need, because they want the best for not only themselves, but the people around them — their neighbors, their children and their friends. Go for a walk at Newbridge Road Park, or take a stroll through Bellmore’s pristine, South Shore neighborhoods. In Bellmore, there’s something for everyone. The Bellmore Herald is your community newspaper. There is no other publication or news outlet that knows this town, its people and the things they care about, more than us. This week’s Bellmore Herald is being mailed to every home, and includes a copy of our popular annual magazine, Living In Bellmore. It’s filled with great information you can use throughout the year and it features the many acts of kindness that make Bellmore such a great community. If you’re not a Bellmore Herald subscriber, we hope a look at this week’s paper will persuade you that you should be. If you’re not currently receiving the Bellmore Herald by mail each week, please help keep quality local journalism alive in your community by signing up for a free subscription. See our subscription offer inside on Page 9, or find us online at LIHerald.com/free. You can also call (516) 569-4000, Ext. 7. If you’re already a Bellmore Herald subscriber, thank you for your support. We hope you are pleased with our coverage. If you’re new to the Bellmore Herald, then you must know that our mission is to cover all the news of your neighborhood — from the schools to local sports, from houses of worship to philanthropic organizations. Enjoy the paper, and thanks for reading! Jordan Vallone, Editor