December 2011
Village Residents Protest The Installation Of
A
group of Village Residents gathered in front of
At
one point in the demonstration, words were exchanged when one of the
demonstrators took a photo of a Village Employee installing an LED lighting
fixture at the Village marina. In response, Village Clerk,
You can listen to what two of the protestors had to say
by clicking on the links below. Village Clerk,
Click to listen
to Village Resident Bob Morris
Click to listen to
Village Resident Tom Schultz
Left - Village Clerk, Scott Augustine (center) discusses the new LED street lighting with two Village Residents.
A Message To All Of Us From Wallen’s Market
Wallen’s
Market, as we know it, will be closing after having served our community for
over 60 years. We have striven to provide the finest quality fresh produce,
meats, and other grocery products in the most consumer friendly atmosphere
possible. We would like to thank so many in the community who over the
generations have supported our efforts and welcomed us into their families.
Our market has long been a place where folks not only shopped, but also met
friends and neighbors and caught up on the latest happening with “the kids,”
rehearsals, practices, meetings, vacations, etc. and the list goes on.
Again, we would like to thank you all for allowing us to be a part of it. And speaking of kids, let’s not forget our “kids” here at the store. The kids who got their first jobs here and stayed with us until college and/or other opportunities arose. The kids who were our face at the check out counter and gave friendly assistance to customers. And of course none of this would have been possible without the dedication and loyalty of our long time employees and managerial staff who have set the tone over the years. The founder, Mike Wallen would have been proud of them.
Sincerely, Bob, Bob Jr., and Pete Satterley
1st Annual Bellport Holiday Decorating
Contest
Every
time we turn around, there seems to be another "1st Annual" event being
created by those two dynamos, Pamela Lerner and Joyce Stanley. At times we
wonder if they own television sets!
Rather than sit around and complain about the economy, Pamela and Joyce seem to be continually coming up with new reasons to "Shop Locally" and support our local merchants. This time, they came up with the 1st Annual Bellport Holiday Decorating Contest.
To enter, all you had to do
was register your home
or business in one of the three categories:
Best Business/Shop Window, Best Residential Front Door, or Best Residential
Exterior and then the judges did the rest.
Recently, everyone who entered the contest was invited to come
to "The Lane" for a little celebration get together and
the announcing of the winners.
And, the winners were...
Business/Shop Window1st Prize Winner, Summer Salt
1st Runner Up, Circa Something
2nd Runner Up, Bellport Liquors
2nd Runner Up, The Village Silversmith
Best Residential Front Door1st Prize Winner, The Swift Residence
1st Runner Up, The Baumfalk Residence
Best Residential Exterior1st Prize Winner, The Diaz Residence
1st Runner Up, The Greaves Residence
2nd Runner Up, The Hutzler Residence
2nd Runner Up, The Moodt Residence
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Holiday Drawing For A $100 Gift Certificate To Wallen's Market!
This
was yet another program Pamela and Joyce came up with for the Holidays. Pamela
Lerner Antiques, Townhouse Antiques, and The Village Silversmith Gallery
invited all of their customers to participate in a spectacular
Holiday Drawing for a $100 Gift Certificate to Wallen's Market. The response
was so strong that they increased the prize from one to two winners of the
$100 Gift Certificate to Wallen's. To be
entered in the drawing, all you had to do was make a purchase at Pamela
Lerner Antiques, Townhouse Antiques, or The Village Silversmith Gallery.
Then, you filled out a drawing ticket with your name and phone number and
you were entered in the drawing. The two lucky winners were
3rd Annual Holiday Dog Show by Bellport For The Holidays
For
the third time, Pamela Lerner and Joyce Stanley organized Bellport's Annual
Holiday Dog Show with all of the proceeds going to benefit the Brookhaven
Animal Shelter & Adoption Center. About 25 brave canines dragged their
owners to "The Lane" so that they could strut their stuff in spite of the
cold temperatures and breeze.
The judging of the event was conducted by Linda Cullen, noted Long Island
artist. Ms. Cullen is the artist who created the event's mascot image,
"Sherlock."
Four winners were judged on the basis of a Dog's Best Holiday Costume and
the prizes were provided by a group made up of Bellport Village merchants, a
grant from the 2011 Community Support Initiative provided by the Suffolk
County Legislature, Legislator Kate Browning, friends and families of
Bellport, religious and non-profit organizations and many more. We just hope
it's warmer for the 4th Annual Holiday Dog Show next year!
Please
click here
for more photos from the Holiday Dog Show.
And The Results Were...
Best
Holiday Dress
1st Prize Winner: Christmas Gaga, Pomeranian
Prize Donated By: Wallen’s Market
1st Runner Up: Oliver & Hershey Kisses, Twin St. Charles Spaniels
Prize Donated By: The Bellport Restaurant
Dog & Owner Look-A-Like
1st Prize Winner: Belle (St. Charles Spaniel)
Prize Donated By: Summer Salt
1st Runner Up Winner: Belle, Jack Russell Terrier
Prize Donated By: Pamela Lerner Antiques
Most Unique Dog
1 St Prize: Ruby, Mastiff
Prize Donated By: The Village Silversmith
1st Runner Up: Bella, English Bull Dog
Prize Donated By: Bellport Liquors, Wines, Accessories
Lucky Dog Lottery
Wallen’s Market, Wagging Tail Pet Sitting Service, So. Country Cleaners,
Café Castello
The
Bellport Country Club's Annual "Breakfast with Santa" was yet again a
wonderful and memorable event. Guests enjoyed a gourmet breakfast buffet and
live Christmas Caroling. Santa himself even made an appearance!
Click here for more
photos from this year's event.
The Bellport-Brookhaven Historical Society held their annual Holiday Brunch this past weekend. It was a chance to mingle with friends and neighbors in a historic setting. The food and company couldn’t have been better and everyone had a terrific time! Below are photos from the event.
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Tax Lien Redemptions Expanded To Assist More Families
The
struggling economy and other unforeseen circumstances has forced many
grandparents to financially care for their grandchildren and families.
Unfortunately, this additional burden is being placed on seniors with fixed
incomes, who are sometimes forced into the tough decision of either paying
the tax bill or their grandchild’s medical bill. This hardship has caused
some Suffolk County grandparents to face the possibility of losing their
homes. Introductory Resolution 1897-11, sponsored by Legislator Kate
Browning (WF-Shirley), expands the county’s property redemption law in order
to include grandparents that have failed to pay taxes due to financial
hardships caused by their grandchild. The bill passed unanimously at the
December 6th legislative meeting.
215 redemptions have been Suffolk County law since 1986. The law permits the
prior owner of a tax foreclosure to submit a redemption application beyond
the allotted six month time frame if a hardship exists. The law helps the
county reduce the amount of foreclosed properties in its inventory and
return them to the tax rolls more rapidly than the auction process, and it
aids a property owner who has experienced economic or personal hardship.
“We are in dire economic times which is causing multiple generations of
families to live under the same roof in order to survive,” stated Legislator
Browning. “In severe cases we are seeing grandparents having to foot the
bill for both their children and grandchildren. The situation has forced
families to choose between keeping their home and saving an ill family
member.”
Prior to this amendment the definition of “immediate family” was limited to
a spouse, parent or child. The law did not account for a grandparent that
lives with and is financially responsible for a grandchild. Legislator
Browning was approached by a constituent that wanted to file a hardship
application but was not eligible. The resident was a grandparent that fell
behind in their property taxes because of a chronically ill grandchild that
was living with them. Suffolk County took the property due to failure to pay
taxes, and the redemption was prohibited because the law did not include
hardships caused by a grandchild. Legislator Browning did not believe the
current law was fair and decided to broaden the definition to include
grandparents.
“A grandparent that is responsible for housing and providing for a
grandchild is no different than a parent,” concluded Legislator Browning.
“This grandmother literally exhausted all of her money trying to save an ill
granddaughter and was going to lose her home. If it was a mother there would
have been no problem redeeming the property, but because she was a
grandmother she didn’t meet the criteria. It wasn’t right and I thank my
colleagues for passing the amendment to assist these families going
forward.”
Using
the generous contributions from family and friends of long-time village
resident Dr. Edward J. Bleser, a memorial tree has been planted in the
Village Park located at the intersection of Bellport Lane and Bell Street.
This Weeping Copper Beech tree will mature into a stately presence in the
park to serve as a symbol of Ed’s love of trees and Bellport. Funds not
expended on the tree will be donated to the Bellport-Brookhaven Historical
Society.
Bellport Holiday Tree Lighting
Every
December a Holiday Festival is held in downtown Bellport Village. This
festive day starts with a "Breakfast with Santa" at the Community Center,
followed by numerous winter holiday events in the Village.
Click here for
photos of this year's Tree Lighting.
Christ Episcopal Church's Christmas Fair
The
Christ Church Christmas Fair opened Friday evening, December
2nd with a
Preview Party and Sale. There was music and shopping for that unique,
handmade, Christmas gift or a theme basket for someone special. On Saturday,
December 3rd, the fair continued in the relaxed
feel of a country market.
Click
here to see photos of the Fair.
Bellport High School Student Performs At
Major
NYC Cabaret Club
Lianna
Hosein Sarra, a senior at Bellport Senior High School, was a featured
soloist with Huntington Cabaret in “Winter Songs," an original cabaret show
at The Metropolitan Room in NYC, on December 4th. Lianna has been singing
and dancing since she was very young and studies dance at the Martha Graham
Contemporary School of Dance in the professional dance program and the
School of American Ballet at Lincoln Center and studies classical voice at
Mannes School of Music at The New School University in New York City. Lianna
will major in voice and musical theater in college next year.
November 2011
By
clicking on the link below, you’ll be able to listen to Victor Principe,
President of the Bellport-Brookhaven Historical Society, as he addresses the
Annual Meeting, 2011, of the Society.
Please Click Here
By
clicking on the link below, you’ll be able to listen to Dr. Carol Bleser’s
presentation, “The Long Forgotten History of Slavery and Plantation in
Colonial Long Island,” which she presented at the Bellport-Brookhaven
Historical Society in November of 2011.
Please
Click Here
The
winning team at the 2011 Long Island College Accounting Challenge had a
particular Bellport flair. Local resident Piyush Patel was part of the
five-person team of accounting students from the SUNY College at Old
Westbury School of Business that won the fourth annual "Challenge" last
week.
The victory was the third by Old Westbury students in three tries in this
annual competition, which is sponsored by Margolin Winer & Evens LLP. Along
with Rani, Old Westbury was represented by William Murphy of Smithtown, New
York; Laura Cassiere of New Hyde Park, New York; Yachni Rani, Plainview, New
York; and Sharon Shelton of Smithtown, New York.
“This success serves as evidence of what we at the Old Westbury and our
School of Business alumni already know: That our students are among the
best-prepared to succeed in the field of accounting,” said College President
Calvin O. Butts, III. “Congratulations to these students and to our faculty
for proving that they have what it takes to again be the Long Island College
Accounting Challenge champions.”
The team from Old Westbury competed against students from Adelphi
University, Briarcliffe College, Molloy College and New York Institute of
Technology in answering challenging accounting questions in ethics, tax,
auditing, and financial accounting.
Pictured above (from Left-Right):
Piyush Patel, Bellport, NY; Sharon Shelton, Smithtown, NY; Yachna Rani,
Plainview, NY; William Murphy, Smithtown, NY; Laura Cassiere, New Hyde Park,
NY
BBSF
and BBYC's own J.C. Hermus has won the title of New York State Optimist
Champion! Racing was held in Oyster Bay this October, and once again BBSF
and BBYC's own raced his way to first place! In addition, after an amazing
finish at Southeast Opti Champs, J.C. has qualified to be part of the U.S.
Optimist team competing at the South American National Optimist
Championship. He will be heading to Argentina to compete against the world's
best opti racers this coming March.
Congratulations, J.C.!
October 2011
Swan Realty Announces their Top Sales Agent for Spring and Summer 2011
Deborah
Galligan broker/ owner of Swan Realty Corp would like to Congratulate
Stephanie Bryson, Licensed Associate Broker, for being the Top Sales Agent
for both the Spring and Summer Quarters of 2011. Congratulations, Stephanie!
Click here for more information
about Swan Realty.
September 2011
Although
the weatherman had predicted rain for Sunday, the weather was perfect. For
the second time, Porters’ restaurant set up a tent in the parking lot next
to their restaurant and held a traditional Oktoberfest celebration. There
was an Oom-pa band, authentic German Oktoberfest beers and German food for
all to enjoy.
As last year, this celebration wasn’t just for the adults. There was face
painting, a bouncing house, and pumpkin painting for the kids so that the
entire family could enjoy the day together. These kinds of events are very
special and a big “Thank You” goes out to John and Jen Giannott, the owners
of Porters on the lane.
Click here to see photos from Oktoberfest.
This
was a great event. To celebrate the traditional San Gennaro Festival,
Avino’s held its own “Little Italy” right here in Bellport. There were all
kinds of wonderful Italian foods, wine tasting and live Italian music. Being
a “family event,” there was Sand Art and Bobbing For Apples for the kids.
Later on in the afternoon, a special Chowder Contest was held to benefit the
Mercy Center. This is just the kind of event that makes Bellport a very
special place.
Click here to see photos from the San Gennaro Festival
This
past weekend, I attended and recorded the first in a series of four lectures
the BBHS is holding this fall. The first lecture in the series was on
“Etiquette” and Robert Hickey, the speaker from the Protocol School of
Washington, was absolutely fascinating. Among many other things, Mr. Hickey
explained that “etiquette” is really the expected norm within a given group.
If you behave as the other members of the group expect you to, you’re
accepted as being part of the group. If you don’t, you’re perceived as being
an outsider and not part of the group. If you take a few minutes to listen
to the beginning of the lecture I’m sure you’re going to listen to the
entire program. It was great!
Click here to listen to the lecture.
The three remaining lectures are: Pilgrimages from Chopin to Coward, Monkeys
and Moonlight, and The Forgotten History of Slavery and Plantations in
Colonial Long Island.
Click here for more
information.
The 9/11 Memorial Dedication was an event
of which we can all
be proud. We had no way of counting, but our guess is that between 500
and 750 people attended. Dwight Trujillo, from the Village Silversmith, had
volunteered to design and create the memorial and you’ll just have to see it
for yourself to understand what a wonderful job Dwight did.
All of our local friends and neighbors, whom we depend on for our safety, the
Fire Departments, Ambulance Company, and Code Enforcement, were there along
with the Veterans of Foreign Wars and the American Legion. Also in
attendance were many of our elected officials from the Village, Town, and
County.
We’ve taken some of our photos and put them to some music to hopefully give
you a feel for the day if you weren’t able to attend. Just
Click Here.
Smith Point Bridge 5K Run & Family Fun Walk
On
Saturday, September 10th a 5K Run and
Family Fun Walk was held a Smith Point Park in Shirley, NY.
This landmark coastal run raises money for
the Community Family Literacy Project.
The historic Smith Point Bridge was the focal point for this race set in
Shirley, and it offered panoramic ocean vistas of Long Island’s
magnificent national seashore. The run began on the barrier beach,
continued over the Moriches Bay, on the Smith
Point Bridge, went north onto
William Floyd Parkway, and then back south over the bridge and along the
park’s inner roadway.
The funds raised help support community-based literacy programs for children
and families that are served by the Mastics-Moriches-Shirley Community
Library, as well as a scholarship program for a deserving William Floyd High
School senior. These programs enrich lives, build a stronger community and,
in some cases, make dreams come true.
Click here to see photos from the race.
August 2011
Angelina Hoffman, Sara McGiff, and Maria McGiff sent us a wonderful story about the rescue of a fawn that almost drowned during Hurricane Irene. “Clarence,” as he’s now known, owes his life to these two girls and their families. We’re sure you’ll enjoy their story and their photos...
Irene's survivor: Clarence the Baby Deer
By Angelina Hoffman, Sara McGiff, and Maria McGiff
It was
Sunday, the day of the storm. In Brookhaven, 
We took him home and made him comfortable with blankets in the basement. I proceeded to massage him and feed him apples and peaches. My daughter, Sara, and I looked after him all night long. By eight thirty in the morning on Monday, the deer, which I identified as a male, was jumping and running around, obviously much better, stronger, and healthier! My husband, Jeremiah, helped me carry him outside to release him into the woods.
Hurricane Irene Hits The Marina
As the tide came in Sunday Morning, Hurricane Irene hit the Marina pretty hard. Here are some photos taken at the foot of Browns Lane and at the Marina. Click on a photo to enlarge.
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Resident Photos...
Joan Straus sent us the following photos taken at the golf course at the Bellport Country Club:
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Janet Kraynak sent us the following photos taken at the Marina:
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Gary Thom sent us the following photo of the Marina.
Wil Jansen sent us the following photo of the Marina.
Glenn Fujii sent us the following photo of the Marina.
Bill Hajek sent the photo below and had this to say:
"Thank
you members of the Bellport Fire Department for responding to 9 Bell Street
in the aftermath of Hurricane Irene and saving our home from potential
disaster. Your response and heroism not only to our home but to the many
emergencies throughout Hurricane Irene is greatly appreciated by the Hajek
family as well as members of the community."
Elizabeth Rose sent us the following photos:
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Miguel Silva sent us the following photos:
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Click here for Jack Moter's photos from the storm.
Click here for Steve Wiencek's photos from the storm.
Do you have photos of the storm? Email them to office@bellport.com!
Bob
Kolbrener opened at Pamela Lerner Antiques last Saturday August 20th, the
attendance was spectacular with over 300 guests attending, fans came from as
far as Florida, CT, NJ, PA, and New York City . The exhibit featured 25 of
Kolbrener's most celebrated works, Kolbrener once a student of Ansel Adams
and teacher in the Adams work shops, said this is my first visit to Long
Island, but I think it wont be my last. A sold out private dinner was hosted
by Joan Kaelin, "In The Lane" at The Coffee Shop in honor of Bob and his
wife Sharon.
Click
here for photos of the reception.
On August 14th, a Ranger from the Fire Island National Seashore conducted a
program covering Fire Island's Ecology System over at Ho Hum Beach. Everyone
enjoyed the program and it was well attended. They even got to see a family
of deer! We’re hoping more programs like this are run in the future. A big
thanks to all.
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This
past Saturday, "Four Girls For Families," along with a bunch of their friends
their own ages, opened for business for one day in a shop on Bellport Lane.
Their goal was to raise money to help as many families in Cambodia as
possible obtain clean drinking water (the leading cause of death) by
purchasing the families home water filtration systems. CBS News covered the
event and we hope they get the national recognition they deserve. Please
follow these links for more information...
Website
Click here for their brochure
Click here for their article in
The Advance
July 2011
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This year’s Bellport Day included a vintage twist on
the typical art walk. No one could miss the clothesline strung up with art
zigzagging all of Main Street! The Brookhaven Arts and Humanities Council
volunteers organized a Clothesline Art Sale to raise money for local art
programs to benefit not just the visual arts, but also music and performing
arts. Part exhibition and part sale, work by local artists of all ages, from
first grade to the golden years, turned Main Street into a dazzling artistic
landscape with old time charm.
“With so many styles, colors and talent, this was a fun and visually
stimulating event that showcased how much Bellport has to offer as well as
raised a substantial amount of money for art programs,” said LuAnn Thompson,
Co-Chairmen of the sale. “We wanted to bring as many people downtown as
possible. But we also wanted everyone to be able to walk away with an
original work of art that spoke to them, so all of the pieces were sold for
only $20 each!” added Lisette Ruch, Co-Chairmen of the sale.
Unsold art still available for such a fantastic price. If you would like to
purchase a work, please stop by the Phoenix Fine Art Gallery to own
affordable art and support keeping art in Bellport.
Participation was fantastic with over 200 works of art donated by local,
well-known, accomplished artists. They also had about 200 works of art
donated from Mrs. McCann’s Kreamer Street Elementary School art classes.
Thank you to all the contributing artists! Without your support and
donations, this event would never have been successful or raised so much
money for the arts:
| Kreamer Street Elementary School!! Samantha Balzer Gregory Barbera Cameron Binnington Colby Binnington Ryder Binnington Kassidy Borsilli Michael Chait Jean Coakley Brother Gerard Cormier Josephine Curiale Emily Czaja Letty Damm-Norjen Michele DePalo Nick Delihas John DiNaro Rosamaria Eisler Celeste Fosmire Laurie Fosmire Jennifer Furman Jo-Jo Furman Lottie Giordano Eva Gochman Susann Gude Bobbie Gugliotta Pauline Hazard C. Hensen Sharon Henson Daveen Hervey Juliette Hubley Larry Johnston Anne B. Katz Amelia Kocay Elosie Kocay Colette Lewin Camille Marryat |
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Lilian Masten Ava Quinn Matlock Frank Mullen Virginia Musentry Muriel Musarra Jimmy O’Brian Rosanne O'Reilly Erin O'Reilly Denise Palermo Camille Palermo Christine Pedersen Karen Pedersen Taylor Pedersen Sally Pezza Phyllis Potts Noah Quog Margaret Rand Louis Reeves Lorraine Rimmelin Mary Riotto Lisette Ruch Mary Samuels Joan Senator Joan Sicignano Julia Skalyo Lester Sprague Ted Stamatelos Don Stonebridge Chris Taylor LuAnn Thompson Jim Vaughan Dawn Wakiya Kathleen Wagner Ann Wiswall Daniel Wooster |
This
past weekend marked another beautiful Bellport Day Festival. Legislator Kate
Browning always attends the event and helped out with this year’s raffle.
The legislator highlighted her day by dunking Mayor Will Veitch in the dunk
tank. Everyone had a great time!
“I love attending Bellport Day and sharing in the support of our local
businesses,” stated Legislator Browning. “The weather was gorgeous and the
turnout was great. Now that Mayor Veitch got his feet wet I am looking
forward to working with him on issues important to village residents.”
Bellport's
very own Dr. Graskemper, the Bellport Village Dentist, recently published a
book, Professional Responsibility in Dentistry: A Practical Guide to Law
and Ethics. This book is for dental students and new dentists, but is
also a great refresher for the not-so-new dentist.
Professional Responsibility in Dentistry: A Practical Guide to Law and
Ethics integrates dental law, risk management, professionalism, and
ethics, as all are interrelated in everyday practice. Beyond theory, the
fact-based approach of this book shows examples of various situations the
dentist may face. Dr. Graskemper addresses a range of topics, from legal
concepts and regulation of dentistry to professionalism and ethics. He
points out specific issues in the practice of dentistry, particularly those
that confront new dentists and dentists with new practices. True Cases
throughout the book walk readers through real-world examples of complex
situations and discuss the proper way to handle them with attention to the
legal, ethical, and practice management ramifications. These include patient
charting, professional criticisms, child neglect, associateships, patient
refunds, and more.
Dr. Graskemper graduated from Xavier University in 1973. He went to Case
Western Reserve University Graduate School and studied Biology before
receiving his Dental Degree in 1977 from Ohio State University. Upon
completion of his Navy Dental Scholarship he served with the U.S. Marines in
San Diego. Dr. Graskemper then received his Law Degree in 1987 from Thomas
Jefferson School of Law. While being in San Diego, he developed his practice
into one of the first fee-for-service multi-specialty practices. After
approximately 20 years he and his family moved to Long Island, New York and
has practiced in Bellport, New York since 1997. He has been awarded 5
Fellowships: the Academy of General Dentistry, the International Congress of
Oral Implantologists, the American Society of Osseointegration, the American
Endodontic Society, and the American College of Legal Medicine. Since 1987,
he has served as a dental consultant and expert witness in many states and
for several state dental boards. He currently belongs to the American Dental
Association and many other professional organization, lectures nationally,
and has been published internationally. Dr. Graskemper is currently an
Associate Clinical Professor at Stonybrook University School of Dental
Medicine, where he was the Past Director of Professional Responsibility
Courses.
Click here for
more information about Dr. Graskemper.
Donors
from all over Long Island showed up to support six year old Nora Getchell at
the Mastic Beach Property Owner’s Association this past Tuesday, July 26,
2011. Nora has a rare blood disease called “Severe Aplastic Anemia” that
requires constant transfusions and leaves her susceptible to contracting
diseases more easily. Nora also needs a bone marrow transplant in order to
cure herself of the rare disorder. Well over a hundred residents, many
traveling far distances, showed up to donate blood and register for the bone
marrow registry. Nora’s family, the Mastic Beach Property Owner’s
Association, Legislator Kate Browning (WF-Shirley) and volunteers from the
Brookhaven Highway Department all provided help in making the event a huge
success.
Through a donation from the Mastic Beach Property Owner’s Association, one
hundred individuals were registered on the bone marrow registry and are
waiting to see if they are a match for Nora. The donation of $5,000 allowed
those who were interested to register for free. Normally a bone marrow kit
costs someone willing to register $52. Even if someone does not match Nora
they are still placed on the national registry and can possibly match
someone else in need.
There was also 108 pints of blood collected from willing donors from all
across Long Island. The turnout was so large that individuals waited between
3-4 hours to donate for Nora’s cause. Some donors traveled from as far away
as Nassau County. One woman rode her bike from Woodbury, which took over
three hours, because she read about Nora’s disorder and felt it was
important to help. The large overflow caused many to be turned away and the
Mastic Beach Property Owners Association already has signed up another one
hundred people for another blood drive scheduled for August 9, 2011.
“The tremendous support and caring that I witnessed at Nora’s blood drive
was extraordinary,” stated Legislator Kate Browning. “So many people from
all walks of life were touched by Nora’s story and stopped everything they
were doing to spend the entire night in line in order to save her life. It
is amazing what our communities can do for one another when someone is in
need. I pray that one of these loving individuals will be Nora’s match.”
Legislator Browning is urging anyone who was unable to make the first blood
drive, and still wants to help, to sign up for the second event on Tuesday,
August 9th. The times will be the same - 2:30pm-8:30pm at the Mastic Beach
Property Owner’s Association. For more information, willing donors can call
631-399-6111.
"Four Girls For Families" Fundraising For
Cambodia
They
are four local Bellport girls. Two sisters and two best friends. They range
in ages from eight to eleven. Their names are Maddie, Rae, Clara and Emmy.
Rae and Emmy traveled to Cambodia last January and were shocked by the
extreme poverty they found. One of the biggest challenges to Cambodians is
not having clean drinking water. Thousands of people die because of
preventable diseases as a result of not having clean drinking water, and 90
percent of those who die are younger than five years old.
When Rae and Emmy came back to the U.S.A, they told Maddie and Clara about
the living conditions in Cambodia and they talked about how great it would
be to help. They then agreed to dedicate their time to trying to improve
life for families in Cambodia. This was the beginning of "Four Girls For
Families," the small non-profit they founded. To reach
their goal, they make and sell jewelry, bags and t-shirts.
If "Four Girls For Families" can reach its goal of raising $2,000, they can
save 200 families from possible illness. 100% of their profits and donations
will go to buying home water filtration systems for Cambodian families. Some
of the girls will be traveling back to Cambodia in January and plan to
personally deliver the water filters to families in a rural village in
Cambodia outside of Siem Reap.
The girls will be renting a store in Bellport this Saturday, October
15th from Noon-6:00pm to sell some of their handmade items. The store is
located at 14 Bellport Lane. Keep an eye out for them as you are
enjoying your weekend downtown.
Website
Click here for their brochure
Click here for their article in
The Advance
The 2011 Bellport Clipper Classic
The
weather was perfect for the 2011 Clipper Classic! Congratulations to
everyone who participated in this great tradition!
Click
here to see photos of the 2011 Clipper Classic.
If you were one of the runners in this year’s Bellport Clipper Classic, we
would be glad to give you a free copy of your photo for your personal use.
However, please understand that Bellport.com reserves all rights to all of
our photographs and they can not be used for any other purpose without our
express, written, permission.
Here’s how you can get a free copy of your photo. Below each “thumbnail”
image is a file name. Simply email us at
larry@bellport.com
and give us the file name for the photo you want. Please include your Name,
Address, and Phone Number for verification purposes. We’ll email the file to
you as quickly as we can.
The South Country Education
Foundation's 13th Annual Cocktail Party & Auction Benefit
The South Country Education Foundation's 13th Annual Auction and
Cocktail Party was held on July
9th.
Each year, the event
provides scholarship and grant monies for the students
of the
South Country School District.
This year's event was no exception.
Click here to view
photos of the 13th Annual Cocktail Party & Auction.
2011
Street Garden Recognition Program
A street garden is a large or small garden of
living plants close to the curb primarily for the pleasure of neighbors or
passers by. The Bellport Garden Club invited all residents of the South
Country School District to create and maintain such a garden or enter an
existing garden in their Street Garden Recognition Program.
Gardens could be established or new, plain or fancy. The gardens had to consist
of live plants or shrubs and be maintained throughout the summer. Official garden plaques were distributed to the first
125 participants.
The Bellport Garden Club provided photos of the 2011 participants. Click here to see photos of the gardens showcased in the 2011 Street Garden Program.
June 2011
Saturday
was a Beautiful Day for a June Wedding! The happy couple, Dan and Alexis
Cappozzi, recently moved here from New Jersey. They were wed at Smith Point
Beach but they chose the BAHC Phoenix gallery for their formal wedding
pictures. Welcome Dan and Alexis.
When
we heard about the Annual Riverhead Cardboard Boat Race, we just had to get
involved. We decided to sponsor three cousins, Sal Anthony Calvagna, Sal
Mario Calvagna, and Christian Michael Calvagna and their boat, The Monitor,
in the race.
The rules said the boat had to be constructed of ordinary cardboard, duct
tape, and white glue, nothing else. No Styrofoam, plastic, waterproofing, or
other types of glues. The Monitor is 13’ long with a beam of 36” and weighs
about 40 pounds. The boys used 12 rolls of duct tape and the boat took about
two weeks of evenings to construct. When I asked why the Monitor, their
answer was, “To honor those who preserved the Union.”
As you go through the photos at the link below, here are some things to keep in mind…
- The Monitor was constructed totally by the boys themselves.
- At first, they covered the fore and aft positions with duct tape, but for the race, they cut open these areas and removed the “turret” to make room for themselves.
- The first photos are of the preparation before the race started.
- The boats all lined up for the start and the paddling became much more serious after the race was underway.
- The boys took the outside line to the left to stay out of traffic.
- They were in the lead with the black boat to their right.
- The three leading boats converged on the turning mark going from left to right. Unfortunately, everyone else went from right to left around the mark. There were some tense moments.
- The boys pushed hard vying for the lead with the black boat.
- Unfortunately, they came in second by about one boat length, but they had a wonderful time and experience!
Click here to see more photos from the Race.
2011 Beach Ball Fundraiser- Saturday, June 25th
The
Bellport Boys & Girls Club
held their annual Beach Ball Fundraiser on Saturday, June 25th.
Proceeds from the event will
help to provide critical programs and services planned
for 2011-2012.
This year, the Club presented an extraordinary collection of art
at the fundraiser.
Guests were able to personally meet with the artists including; award winning photographers,
painters, sculptors and fashion, home and jewelry designers, whose work
was available in Live and Silent Auctions.
Click
here to see photos from the event.
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Bellport Village was selected by the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey to be one of the over 1,100 groups and municipalities to receive pieces of steel from the two WTC buildings destroyed on 9/11. Village Silversmith owner and artist, Dwight Trujillo, was selected by the Village to fashion the 6 foot long, over 380 pound, piece of steel into a memorial to be unveiled in ceremonies to be held on September 11, 2011 at Bellport Village’s Marina. The Memorial will honor the residents of Bellport and the surrounding communities who were lost in the attacks. Seen here is the beginning of work on the 9/11 Memorial by Dwight Trujillo. | ||
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The Bellport-Brookhaven Historical Society held their Gala Opening Event of "Nearthebay and the World of Birdsall Otis Edey," an exhibition on the life, times and home Birdsall Otis Edey (1872-1940), dynamic suffragist, pioneer of Girl Scouting, humanitarian and vigilant historic preservationist and her beloved Bellport home Nearthebay, the fine Greek Revival house built c. 1838 and owned by her family from 1865 until 1945. Through her Village Improvement Society, Birdsall Otis Edey campaigned persistently to preserve and improve the appearance of Bellport. Her success in having the Montauk Highway bypass Bellport, Brookhaven Hamlet, and East Patchogue is her great legacy. Highlights of the Gala included a tour of her home, Nearthebay, an opening preview of the exhibition, as well as the Gala cocktail reception, dancing and auction.
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The descendants of Birdsall
Otis Edey at "Nearthebay." |
The
descendants of Birdsall Otis Edey at "Nearthebay." |
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Recently,
from left to right, Pamela Lerner, Maria Severyna, Donna Waters, and
Patricia Trainor joined together to bring a presentation of Maria Severyna
New York’s Spring Designs to Bellport Village. The show included a sneak
peak of the coming Autumn Designs along with a “Trunk Show.” After showing
each of the designs to those gathered at The Bellport restaurant, the models
strolled Main Street for all to see this “Not to be missed” show.
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May 2011
The Bellport-Brookhaven Historical Society held their
annual Antiques Show on Sunday, May 29th.
The show
hosted dealers from Long Island and around the
region who exhibited and sold
a diverse selection of antiques and collectibles, jewelry, linens, ceramics,
glass and art. Below are photos from the event
provided by the Bellport-Brookhaven Historical Society.
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For the first time in seven years we weren’t able to
make it to the Memorial Day Parades that were held in Brookhaven Hamlet and
Bellport Village. We were visiting with our grandchildren in California so
we’re sure you’ll forgive us.
Linda Majowka was nice enough to share the photos she took
at both parades so if you couldn’t make it to the parades this year, you
have Linda to thank for her great photos.
The Brookhaven Hamlet Parade
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The Bellport Village Parade
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On
Monday, May 30, 2011 the Bellport Blue Claws travel baseball team won the
National Junior Baseball League (NJBL) 2011 Memorial Day Tournament for the
12U Division. The team clinched the tournament with an impressive 10-1 win
in the Championship game against a very strong opponent, The North Shore
Vikings. The Bellport Blue Claws were undefeated for the tournament with 4
wins, 0 losses and 1 ties. The NJBL Memorial Day Tournament consisted of
over 114 teams in various age groups from ages 9-16.
Pictured are the 2011 Bellport Blue Claws: Kneeling front row (l-r); John
Colondona, Trevor Virno, Sal Zafonte, Joseph Greco, Pierce May Back Row
(l-r)(Coach Frank Virno, Quinn Mattia, Coach Roger May, Jason Murray, Head
Coach Joe Greco, Jake Sheridan, Michael Sangiamo, Anthony DeStefano, Michael
Kennedy and Coach Sal Zafonte. Not pictured are: Ray Cirko, Palmer Egan and
Connor Lyons.
The Bellport Blue Claws will play the 2011 Summer Season at Baseball Heaven
and will be heading to Cooperstown, NY at the end of August to participate
in the week long Cooperstown Dreams Park "Cooperstown Classic" tournament.
Congratulations to all of the players and coaches!
April 2011
Legislator Browning Throws Out First Pitch, Secures Funding for 2011
Legislator
Kate Browning recently attended Bellport Little League’s opening day and
threw out the first pitch during one of the league’s afternoon games. For
the second year in a row Legislator Browning has secured funding for
Bellport Little League to help continue offsetting the costs to parents.
“The Bellport Little League is a wonderful organization providing positive
activities for our children,” stated Legislator Browning. “I am pleased that
I have been able to obtain funding again for the 2011 season in order to
reduce the cost of participating. We need to encourage our kids to stay off
the streets and participate in team sports, and it is important to help
parents afford it during these tough economic times. It was a beautiful day
and I wish all the players good luck this season.”
(Pictured from left to right - Joe Salerno, Head Coach Frank Virno,
Legislator Kate Browning and President of the Board Charlie Francomano
standing with the AA Division Cardinals)
The Brookhaven Free Library Pet Parade was held on Saturday, April 16th. Despite the windy day they had a wonderful turn out of dogs, hamsters and a little bunny. All together there were 45 pets and people in attendance. This turned out to be a wonderful event for people and pets to see one another and also have a chance to meet new ones. Hopefully this will be an annual event at the Brookhaven Free Library. Below are photos from the event.
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Bellport.com
received the following note regarding the recent Handbag Fundraiser at Circa
Something...
We at Circa Something are happy to announce that the
fundraiser for young Jesse was a roaring success! Because of the wonderful
generosity of all the people that came in and bought handbags we raised
$2890 for Jesse. We would also like to thank an anonymous donor who left two
new handbags in our mailbox for this sale. It moved all of us to see the
unselfish outpouring of love from our community for a little boy that none
of us really knew. His mom was overwhelmed by the generosity of strangers
and the love given over from one human being to another. Again thank you
from the bottom of our hearts.
-Aimee and Bob Baker, Circa Something
The
following information was recently published in the Fifth Precinct Community
Newsletter:
The Fifth Precinct has reason to believe that a two man team of paving
scammers, driving a new white ford pick up truck, may be operating in the
Fifth Precinct.
What is a paving scammer?
A paving scammer could be a team of subjects travelling about an area or
community soliciting their services to redo or repair the private driveways
of intended victims. The scammers tend to target the vulnerable among us,
the elderly for example, by pressuring possible victims into accepting their
paving services. The scammers may pressure victims into paying very high
prices for their services, they may perform the repaving or repair in a very
shoddy manner, and/or they may perform the service as a means of distracting
the victim while another member of the team gains access to the home of the
victim for the purposes of stealing valuables.
The type of scam described above is not necessarily limited to those who
pose as pavers. Others may pose as a general contractor, a roof repair
specialist, etc., but the objective is the same; to wrongly obtain property
of a victim.
Suffolk County Code 345.17a: Home Improvement Without a License prohibits
the offering of these types of home improvement services without a proper
government issued license or permit.
I know the descriptive information provided above is limited. However, Fifth
Precinct investigators are conducting a follow up investigation and charges
would be filed if probable cause is developed indicating that a suspect or
suspects are conducting a home improvement business without a license.
Do not hesitate to contact us at the Fifth Precinct if you become aware of
scammers operating in your neighborhood. Do not hesitate to contact us if
you suspect that a scammer is operating in your neighborhood. We can check
the circumstances to determine if the business operator is properly
licensed.
You may contact the Fifth Precinct by emailing
SCPD.5THPRECINCT@suffolkcountyny.gov. If you observe a possible
scammer in action you can call 911 or 852-COPS. If the incident you are
observing is an emergency call 911.
Aristides Mojica, Inspector
Commanding Officer, Fifth Precinct
March 2011
Donna Waters Says Goodbye
After
21 years of being in business in Bellport Village, the “Donna Waters”
clothing shop has closed its doors for the last time. The shop opened on
Main Street in 1990 at the four corners where Old Purchase Realty is today.
In 1995, the shop moved across the street to 125 South Country Road and two
years ago, Donna Waters moved her shop to its present and last location on
Main Street.
When asked, Donna said, “It is with a sad heart that I close my doors in
Bellport. I’d like to thank all of my loyal customers and friends. I love
you all and enjoyed many special moments, seeing your children grow up,
dressing you for special occasions, I loved every minute of it. I will never
forget my friends in Bellport and I cannot thank you all enough for your
loyalty and most of all, your friendship.”
Four good friends of Donna’s, Eileen Green, Joan Kaolin, Lauretta Haag, and
Pamela Lerner, threw a “Goodbye” party for Donna at The Coffee Shop which
was attended by about 30 of Donna’s friends and customers. Pictured above,
from L to R, are Joan Kaolin, Donna Waters, Pamela Lerner and Lauretta Haag.
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February 2011
At
a recent South Country School District Board of Education meeting,
longtime resident and graduate of Bellport High School, Kenny Jones was
recognized for his community involvement and dedication. Kenny recently
received an award from Maryhaven Center of Hope for his work ethics.
Superintendent Joseph L. Cipp, Jr. has had a long affiliation with Kenny
as he volunteered for many years as the manager of the Bellport Varsity
Football Team. He has been referred to as the number one manager who
knew every score, every player and every number of every player.
Pictured are Superintendent Joseph Cipp and Board of Education President
Victor Correa congratulating Kenny with his family.
January 2011
BHS Students Compete In LI Challenge Competition
On
January 31, 2011 several academic stars from Bellport High School will
travel to New York City to compete in Rounds 2 and 3 of the prestigious
Long Island Challenge. The competitors are seniors Gourav Khadge, Elise
Budd, Chris Lisinski, Steven Seidman and junior Mark Maranan. The team
under the expert tutelage of Mr. Paul Feltman Social Studies teacher has
been practicing for several months for this competition and is looking
forward to moving on in the competition.
Pictured from left to right: Mr. Paul Feltman, Advisor, Steven Seidman,
Elise Budd, Gourav Khadge, Chris Lisinski and Mark Maranan.
Bellport Girls Deliver To Vets
On
December 23, 2010 members of the Bellport Girls Track and Field Club got
an early jump on the jolly man in the red suit. The student/athletes put
their schedules on hold to fulfill the promise they made at their
successful fund raising 5K Race in Bellport Village on November 28,
2010. Under the supervision of Bellport High School girls’ varsity track
coach, Gino Cruz, team members visited the James J. Peters VA Medical
Center in Bronx, New York. Club members arrived bearing gifts of needed
clothing items such as gloves, hats, etc. “Our fundraiser included three
very important objectives, one being to assist veterans in need” Cruz
said. “I am so proud of the outstanding manner in which the girls
represented themselves, their school and the South Country community.”
Many team members admitted to not knowing what to expect from the visit.
Varsity track tri-captain Marina Pettinicchi said, “We knew that
bringing needed gifts for the holidays would be a nice gesture, but we
had no idea how moving the experience would be. There were many great
stories exchanged.” Pettinicchi went on to describe the joyous
atmosphere that evolved as her teammates began to sing Christmas carols
to the patients. Tri-captain Caitlyn Pabst said, “I will never forget
this trip. The holiday visit and conversation were genuinely appreciated
as much or more than he gifts we delivered.” Tri-captain Anissa Rivera
said, “I am so glad we made this trip. I always looked at veterans as
just soldiers in a uniform. We learned so much about the real men behind
the uniforms. I will never think of veterans the same way.”
Cruz chose this particular facility because one of his coaching mentors,
Steven Lewis, is being cared for at this hospital. Lewis, a twenty year
Army veteran, left his position coaching track at Longwood High School
as a result of his illness which has left him completely incapacitated.
“Although physically challenged, Steven has honorably served his country
and has a tremendous passion for track and field that I wanted to share
with the team,” Cruz said.
The team plans to make two additional post-holiday visits to Veterans
facilities in Stony Brook and Yaphank. The club has already made a
donation to the family of Julia Nofi, seventh grade student at Bellport
Middle School who is battling Leukemia. Additionally, the club plans to
award scholarships to deserving student/athletes at the Bellport High
School graduation ceremony in June.
Students
in Mrs. Lois Beuhler’s Chemistry classes at Bellport High School
continued this year with a chemis-tree tradition started by Mrs. Beuhler
in 1991. Students select a particular chemical element, make an ornament
regarding that element and present it to the class in a “Celebration of
the Elements.” The ornaments reflect the name, history, uses and
chemical properties of their particular element.
Pictured are back row left to right: Jean-Vincent DaSilva, Ryan McGlynn,
Sam Hoff, Dan Garisto, Daniel Santana, Brandon Santana
Front row from left to right: Mrs. Lois Beuhler, Bianca Lastra, Elise
Budd, Michele Henriksen