Community Turns Out to Take Back 25

ByRobertChartuk

An impressive crowd turned out to Take Back 25 by cleaning up litter and debris along Middle Country Road in Coram and Middle Island.

“It was great to see so many people chipping in to keep their neighborhood clean,” said Assemblyman Joe DeStefano, who joined a number of officials and business owners to give the clean up crew a helping hand. “A community is only as strong as its people and judging from the Take Back 25 turnout, this community is really powerful.”

According to local Realtor Rosalie Hanson, an impetus for the community effort was Legislator Dominick Thorne who was behind the county cleaning up the bus stop near the Route 112 intersection which had become a loitering point and subject of many resident complaints. “Legislator Thorne really turned the tide and got the community behind the effort to take better care of the area,” Hanson said.

Organizing her members in cleaning up the state route was Gail Lynch-Bailey, president of the Middle Island Civic Association. She was joined by volunteers with the Coram Civic, boy and girl scouts and other local groups, in addition to Suffolk Police and the area’s fire and ambulance companies. Carters with Brookhaven Town also helped with the removal effort.

Among the elected officials stuffing garbage bags were Senator Dean Murray,

Assemblyman Ed Flood, and Town Council Members Jane Bonner and Mike Loguercio. Everyone rallied around the day’s slogan, “One Longwood Community United.”

“The goal was to make it a cleaner, more presentable, safer community,” Hanson said.

“With the help of everyone, we certainly succeeded.”

Brookhaven Supervisor Edward Romaine. "There's a lot of nonsense that sometimes goes on that people don't want to see. Any type of police presence will discourage illegal activity. The last thing a criminal wants to do is get caught, even though they can get out of jail with the bail laws that the state has."

“This is a fabulous idea, everything helps,” said Dawn Mercedes of the Mercedes Meat Market on Neighborhood Road.

“Everything helps.” The business owner, who said she’s been robbed four times, pointed out that the patrols should cut down on open container violations. “Characters walk around here with beers in their hands; this will deter that.” Mercedes said the enforcement of minor infractions will cut down on larger crimes. “It’s the Broken Windows Theory,” she explained. “People shouldn’t think they can get away with anything.”