_________________ WANtAGH ________________
Men’s Health Inside $1.00
Vol. 70 No. 27
Twin lakes Preserve
Students win essay awards
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JUNE 30 - JUlY 6, 2022
OBITUARY
Remembering Tom O’Leary The Wantagh resident taught, coached at high school for 34 years the field, encouraging Wantagh students to always play hard for him. The students always knew Tom O’Leary, described as a how deeply O’Leary cared for legend in the Wantagh commu- them, Cuiffo added. nity who taught physical educaO’Leary also liked to jokingly tion and coached boys’ varsity refer to sports practice as “AP soccer for 34 years, Physical Education,” died in his Huntinghe said. ton home on June 12. Cuiffo’s favorite He was 75. memories of O’Leary led the O’Leary were when Wa n t a g h H i g h they would travel School soccer team with the team, most to state championnotably to Buffalo ships in 1992 and and Oneonta, and 1993. He also served sometimes as far as as an assistant coach Colorado. for the boys’ varsity “He really looked lacrosse team. out for me when I Tom o’leary John Cuiffo, a was a varsity assisretired teacher from tant,” Cuiffo said. “It Wantagh, described O’Leary as a was a match made in heaven, “great friend and mentor,” and and it was an honor to coach said that he couldn’t have asked alongside him for as many years for a better role model in Want- as I did.” agh. Even after O’Leary and Cuiffo “Tom and I used to joke both retired, they kept in touch, around that we never worked a talking on a weekly basis. Cuiffo day in our lives,” said Cuiffo. said that he thought of O’Leary “And it’s thanks to the kids at as family, and added that they Wantagh that he felt that way.” considered their athletes family According to Cuiffo, O’Leary as well. was respected both on and off Continued on page 10
By MiCHaEl MalaSZCZYK mmalaszczyk@liherald.com
Michael Malaszczyk/Herald
MariNE CorPS ToYS for Tots collection boxes are set up outside of Mulcahy’s ahead of the fundraiser. The toys will go to Buffalo and Uvalde.
Nassau police raise funds for Buffalo, Uvalde victims By MiCHaEl MalaSZCZYK mmalaszczyk@liherald.com
The Nassau County Police Department is trying to do its part to spread a little joy to children in Buffalo and Uvalde, Texas — the sites of two of the worst mass shootings in the country this year. On June 21 at Mulcahy’s in Wantagh, the Nassau County Police Unions hosted a fundraiser and toy drive dedicated to the victims of the shootings. The leaders of the three unions — Superior Officers Association President Ricky Frassetti, Detectives Association Inc. President Jeffrey Gross and Nassau County Police Benevolent Association President
Thomas Shevlin — attended, as did Nassau Police Commissioner Patrick Ryder and County Executive Bruce Blakeman. John Theissen, founder and director of the Theissen Children’s Foundation, helped sponsor the event, and held an auction for charity for Buffalo and Uvalde. The Marine Corps’ Toys for Tots led the toy drive. The police set up a number of large toy collection bins outside Mulcahy’s, which filled up quickly. The donations will be divided and shipped to both cities in July. Ryder said the drive is an obligation on the part of the Nassau County Police Department, as well as the three unions. “Communities Continued on page 5