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HERALD $1.00
Abuse survivor speaks out
Merokean wraps three indie films
N. Merrick library hosts concerts
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Vol. 24 No. 35
AUGUST 26 - SEPTEMBER 1, 2021
We learned we’re stronger together
Merrick Fire Department volunteer Tom DiBlasi took first place at the clam-eating contest at Peter’s Clam Bar, winning $2,500 for his firehouse. Story, more photos, Page 14.
Calhoun High’s ‘Cluboard’ helps feed those in need By ANDREW GARCIA agarcia@liherald.com
The Community Cupboard, operated by the Bellmore-Merrick Central High School District, is a vital resource for local families in need, providing food, toiletries and other necessities. A new student-driven club at Sanford H. Calhoun High School plans to ensure that the facility
has a helping hand for years to come. Community Club co-founders Liam Hardstone and James Gavnoudias, now Calhoun graduates, saw the need to aid the Cupboard amid the coronavirus pandemic. Although Covid-19 brought pain to families nationwide, they could at least make a difference here at home. “The pandemic affected most
people in the world — and it was a broad spectrum of severity,” said Hardstone, 18. “Fortunately, James and I presided on the less severe side of the spectrum, and we wanted to use that privilege to aid those that were not so fortunate. “We saw an opportunity [with the Cupboard] to help others,” Hardstone continued, “so we Continued on page 15
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The pandemic stretched us to our limits, but we never broke. We have been with you throughout, and our pledge is to remain with you until all of us return to normal life — or whatever our lives will be in the new normal. Producing the news, however, is a costly endeavor. We must pay the salaries of reporters, editors, photographers, g raphic artists, advertising account executives, press opera t o r s , d r iv e r s and mana g ers. Now, more than ever, we are relying on you, our readers, to suppor t us, as we have supported you through this crisis. Please consider taking an annual subscription to the Herald. See our subscription ad in this week’s paper on Page 13. If you are already a Herald subscriber, thank you for your suppor t. We hope you are pleased with our coverage, and if you are, you might consider taking a two- or threeyear subscription. CH
The coronavirus pandemic sw e p t a c r o s s t h e U n i t e d States, including the Merricks, like a wildfire over the past 18 months, killing 617,000 of our fellow Americans. We mourn each and every one of these precious lives taken too soon. In recent months, however, we have begun to emerge from this nationwide catastrophe, and because of the Pfizer-BioNTech, Moderna and Johnson & Johnson vaccines, we are seeing a glimmer of hope. Though the Covid-19 infection and death rates h ave t i c ke d u p recently, we are far better off than we were one year ago. We also learned an important lesson during this crisis: We are stronger together. Throughout the pandemic, all of us at the Herald have strived to report the news of the day swiftly and accurately. Suddenly last spring, we were no longer a weekly newspaper. We were a daily, publishing the news online at liherald. com and in our newsletter. Hundreds of thousands of people a month came to our website for the latest news.
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Andrew Garcia Editor