Sylvan Place continues spreading holiday cheer

By BRENDAN CARPENTER bcarpenter@liherald.com

Sylvan Place residents have been decorating houses for the holidays for nearly 30 years. Since 2014, they have banded together each season to raise funds for charities to honor the memory of two of their own.

As part of their efforts, the Valley Stream group holds a block party, serving hot dogs and hot chocolate, giving out gifts and inviting Santa to share in the festivities in honor of their late neighbors Chris Schroeder, who died of cancer in 2013 at 18, and Michael Smith, who had Down syndrome, and died the same year at 44.

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The block has been raising money in a little box outside Carr’s house since 2014, when they started decorating for Schroeder and Smith after they passed away. The funds raised are split between the Sunrise Association, a non-profit aimed at supporting families with children suffering from cancer in honor of Schroeder; and the Anchor Program Fund, which supports people with special needs throughout the Town of Hempstead and holds a camp in Lido Beach, in honor of Smith.

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