the times of smithtown - december 31, 2015

People Of The Year • SMITHTOWN EdITION

The TIMESVolume 28, No. 44 December 31, 2015 $1.00

Serving Smithtown • St. JameS • neSconSet • commack • hauppauge • kingS park • Fort Salongaof Smithtown

Commack volunteer spruces up North Shore

By kevin redding

Along Crooked Hill Road in Com-mack, garbage bags are piled up and filled with everything from fast-food wrappers to plastic cups and glass bottles. Tires, hubcaps, license plates and various construction materials are leaned up against a wooden post.

Only an hour or two prior, all these items were littered over the roads, side-walks and grass. However, thanks to 73-year-old retired Commack resident Ed Mikell, the founder of the Seven Cents Club of Commack — a volunteer group of young people and retirees alike — the community can enjoy something scarcely seen when traveling through any town: cleanliness.

For all of his work cleaning up Com-mack, Mikell was named a 2015 Times of Smithtown Person of the Year.

It all started when Mikell was cleaning a bus stop, where he discovered seven cents on the ground.

“My father [is] super energetic,” said Ed’s daughter and cleanup volunteer Jen-nifer Mikell. “He’s been retired for eight years and in his retirement he’s really

done a lot to help others, whether it’s help-ing people balance their finances and fig-ure out their own retirement, or helping out a local charity group that he works at a couple days a week.”

She explained that her father was frustrated that so many areas in his town had become so uncared for and unclean for so long.

“He wants to make the difference that nobody else is making.”

On Sept. 21, 2014, Mikell first took it upon himself to clean up an “unofficial” bus stop on Crooked Hill Road simply because he didn’t want people to have to stand in garbage. He went home, equipped himself with pails and some tools and went to work.

Using an abandoned shopping cart that had been turned sideways so people at the bus stop could sit down, Mikell filled up his pail four times, threw the garbage in the shopping cart, and wheeled it across the street to toss in a dumpster.

After making the bus stop pristine, Mikell reached out to the supervisor of Smithtown along with other Suffolk

‘My father [is] super energetic. ... He wants to make

the difference that nobody else

is making.’ — Jennifer Mikell

File photos by Alex Petroskileft, ed mikell shows off a clean bus stop in commack just as his Seven cents club launched earlier this year. right, his newfound club sports its name on a spiffy garbage can in town. MIKELL continued on page A31

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A message from the publisher The Times of Smithtown is proud

to continue an annual tradition of honoring members of the community who have contributed in a significant manner to its residents and institu-tions during the past year.

These are the people who go the extra mile to improve the quality of our lives. In these pages, we salute their achievements. We also realize that these men and women are not unique. They are symbolic of the many who devote their efforts to the good of our hometowns. We salute them all and thank them for their service to the community we all love.

Two years ago, we changed the format of how we honor our People of the Year. Now we have one edition for each of the three towns we cover — Brookhaven, Smithtown and Huntington — combining winners from multiple papers.

We also eliminated the categories we previously used to organize the winners, such as medicine, sports or the arts, as we found that they were limiting us in how we were able to honor people. Every winner is simply a person of the year, no matter what their concentration. And instead of

having an overall man and woman of the year gracing our front page, we will just have one overall winner, regardless of gender or affiliation.

We hope you enjoy our People of the Year issue, and that you feel an enhanced pride in our hometown.

Leah S. Dunaief Publisher

BREAKING NEWS

The TImES (USPS 003-952) is published Thursdays by TImES BEAcoN REcoRd NEWSPAPERS, 185 Route 25A, Setauket, NY 11733. Periodicals postage paid at Setauket, NY and additional mailing offices. Subscription price $49 annually. Leah S. dunaief, Publisher. PoSTmASTER: Send change of address to Po Box 707, Setauket, NY 11733.

DECEMBER 31, 2015 • TIMES OF SMITHTOWN • PAGE A3144068

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Fort Salonga family uses foundation for goodBy Miguel BustaMante

There’s a lot that can be said about North Shore businessman Charles Reichert, but not only because of his entrepreneurship.

“He wants to do the right thing. You know, he’s been very fortunate in his life, he’s made good money and he wants to give back,” said Suffolk County Legislator Rob Trotta (R-Fort Salonga) about North Shore businessman Charles Reichert. “He’s the kind of guy that says ‘I want to make my community better,’ and if he could help it, he’s always there for it … It really is a blessing to have a guy like Char-lie Reichert in the community.”

Charles Reichert, 80, or Charlie as his friends call him, of Fort Salonga is the owner of five IGA grocery stores through-out the Suffolk County area. With IGA lo-cations in Bayville, Fort Salonga, Green-port, East Northport and Southold, his stores are consistently among the list of IGA’s annual Five Star Retailer award, which is the highest honor IGA bestows on its proprietors, and in 2014 he was one of five to receive the IGA International Retailers of the Year award.

Through his stores Reichert found ways to become a nexus of community interactions by employing local resi-dents and community youth looking to get a foothold in the workforce, and also, along with wife Helen, founding the Fort

Salonga Market IGA Scholarship, which awards a total of $6,000 to outstanding local high school students.

For his contributions, Charles Reichert has been named a 2015 Times of Smithtown Person of the Year.

Reichert’s generosity has also extended outside of the IGA’s sponsorship. In 2013 The Charles and Helen Reichert Family Foundation donated $850,000, to be dis-persed over several years, for the restora-tion and preservation of the Charles and Helen Reichert Planetarium (formerly the Vanderbilt Museum’s Planetarium), which enabled the facility to purchase new seating, carpeting, lobby and gift shop along with technological updates.

“I’ll tell you something,” said Michael Rosato, board member of the Nisse-quogue River State Park Foundation. “If there were more Charlies around, we’d all be a lot better off.”

Rosato was referring to the contribu-tions Reichert has made to the foundation.

“We were able to rebuild the parking area around the soccer fields, expand the hike and bike trail and renovate the parks administration building. It was all because of Charlie’s support … He’s given back so much for the community.”

Reichert, however, has played some contributions close to the heart. In 2013 the Charles and Helen Reichert Family Foundation donated $100,000 to the Hun-

tington Hospital for the purchase of a 3D breast tomosynthesis machine, which can produce 3D images that can more accu-rately help detect cancer cells in breasts.

This year, Charles and Helen Reichert, herself a 24-year breast cancer survivor, donated $1 million for the construc-tion of the brand new, state-of-the-art Charles and Helen Reichert Imaging Center in Huntington, which offers di-

agnostic radiology services.With so many outstanding contribu-

tions already in tow, Charles Reichert hasn’t stopped looking for ways to con-tinue to give back to the community. He has consistently sponsored the Nisse-quogue River State Park Foundation’s 5k Turkey Trot and the Fort Salonga Civic Association’s holiday caroling events by donating refreshments and gifts.

File photoCharles Reichert is known to be an active member of the smithtown community.

Borden a community staple in Kings ParkBy Miguel BustaMante

It isn’t easy to be more of a principal community participant in Kings Park than Miles Borden — even local history wouldn’t be quite the same without him, seeing as he literally wrote the book on it.

“Miles and Charlie [Reichert] are very similar,” said Suffolk County Legislator Rob Trotta (R-Fort Salonga). “They’re both very low-key, but they both [pull a lot of weight] and are able to get things done in the community.” Talking specifi-cally of Borden, Trotta added, “He’s very well respected, just a great guy.”

Six generations of the Borden clan have called Kings Park their home, dating as far back as the 19th century, even boast-ing the founding of the Lucien Memorial United Methodist Church. Borden has, himself, dedicated his personal and pro-fessional life to the community he loves.

A graduate of Kings Park High School, Class of 1945, Borden, 88, continued his academic career by attaining collegiate degrees from Hofstra University, NYU and Oswego State where, in 1949, his mile relay team set a record time.

For his knowledge and efforts, Borden has been named a 2015 Times of Smith-town Person of the Year.

Back in Long Island, Borden enjoyed a 34-year career in public education as a schoolteacher then, ultimately, as interim superintendent at the Amityville school district. Throughout his tenure as an edu-

cator, Borden found time to volunteer at the Kings Park Fire Department, an endeavor that lasted over 60 years, and ultimately he became president of the department.

Borden is also a consummate histo-rian and a major contributor to local history. “He was afraid that the history of Kings Park was going to get washed away with the rain,” said his brother Noel Borden. “Everyone he talked to didn’t know a whole lot about the town because no one had taken the time to write anything about it.” This fear prompted Miles Borden to author five history books:

• “History of the Kings Park Fire Department”;

• “The First One Hundred Years (1892-1992): Lucien Memorial United Methodist Church”;

• “History of Kings Park in Words and Pictures”;

• “History of Our School District Community: Fort Salonga, Kings Park, San Remo”;

• “First One Hundred Years, Fire and Emergency Services: History of the Kings Park Fire Department and the Kings Park Fire District.”

“He’s made Kings Park history come alive,” said Gail Hessel, a member of Smithtown Historical Society. “People didn’t really think about Kings Park having a history. And he’s even inspired me to write a book. [Miles] is the kind of person that, if I was working on a

File photoMiles Borden is a major contributor to local history.

book, he would encourage me by saying, ‘Good job.’”

Along with his involvement with the fire department, Borden has served on several other local boards, including Suffolk County Parks and Kings Park Heritage Museum, where he is one of the founding members.

Now Borden is looking to enjoy his post-retirement years with wife Leona. He has remained a consummate runner and even talks to the community’s youth of the importance of staying fit and active.

But don’t be surprised if you still see him hitting the pavement for an early morning jog.


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North Shore group a force for good

By Phil Corso

They’ve covered a lot of ground — and water — in their first year, but members of the Setauket Harbor Task Force are only getting started.

The all-volunteer Setauket Harbor Task Force, led by residents and cofound-ers Laurie Vetere and George Hoffman, held its first general meeting on Oct. 29 of 2014, and meetings have grown to host nearly 100 residents. Since the first meeting, members of the group have become a known force for North Shore environmentalism, and their efforts have washed upon the shores of civic leaders, elected officials and beyond.

The group has spent the past year studying the harbor, influencing the public debate surrounding it and garner-ing public support for its preservation and sustainability.

For their contributions to the North Shore’s environmental discussion, mem-bers of the Setauket Harbor Task Force have been named 2015 Times of Smith-town People of the Year.

On the ground level, civic members in the Setauket and Stony Brook com-munities have become big fans of the Setauket Harbor Task Force and have continuously teamed up with the group to help promote its mission of preserv-ing the communities’ waterways. Shawn Nuzzo, president of the Civic Associa-tion of the Setaukets and Stony Brook, said he stood behind the Task Force’s work with hopes that it could help bring back a strong and vibrant Long Island economy based on the sustainable har-vesting of coastal shorelines.

“We have a sordid and shameful history of polluting our Long Island waterways,” Nuzzo said. “For years, scientists and en-vironmentalists have been warning of the harmful effects of nitrogen and other con-taminants in our water. But it is only rela-tively recently that the politicians have be-gun discussing remediating the situation, thanks in part to advocacy groups like the

Setauket Harbor Task Force.”The Task Force has been hosting reg-

ular walking tours of the harbor and its surrounding environmental beauties with hopes of reminding the community just how important it is to maintain.

Some of the group’s key concerns have included making sure the town pays at-tention to the road runoff retention ba-sin that forms near the inlet at Setauket Harbor and maintaining park property just to the west of the area’s footbridge.

The Task Force also launched its first Setauket Harbor Day, back in Septem-ber — a free event held at the Shore Road dock, established to inspire the com-munity to join the Force in its efforts to clean and preserve the harbor.

Since the group’s inception, members have been working hand-in-hand with elected officials from various levels of government, and so far their messages have been heard loud and clear.

State Assemblyman Steve Englebright (D-Setauket) has been a consistent voice in the North Shore’s environmental dis-cussion, having held previous positions as a geologist and biologist before be-coming a public servant. And with his expertise, Englebright referred to the Se-tauket Harbor Task Force as the epicen-ter of community pride that has made a tremendous impact on the North Shore.

“We have a sense of purpose now to work between our civic community and the town and the state — it’s just wonderful,” he said. “I guess everybody would hope that government would do all of this on its own, but the additional attention and focus being brought by cit-izens who have taken this initiative on is just terrific. So my sense is that by estab-lishing the Setauket Harbor Task Force, and providing a forum where issues that relate to the overall health of the ecosys-tem in our harbor can be discussed, we have a matter of focus.”

The group has received support from Brookhaven officials as well.

Town Supervisor Ed Romaine (R)

said the Task Force represented the best of Brookhaven.

“These are citizens coming together and recognizing a common problem and look-ing to make a positive difference,” Romaine said. “We are prepared to spend money to enact some of the things they are trying to achieve. This is a commitment and what helps us is that we have partners on the local level — people who step up to the plate.”

Town Councilwoman Valerie Car-tright (D-Port Jefferson Station) echoed the same sentiments after spending the year working closely with the Task Force.

“The formation of the Setauket Har-bor Task Force is a significant step in addressing some of the environmental concerns in the area,” she said. “It is a vehicle for the community to work to-gether to assist in preserving our harbor and improving our water quality. I thank the members of the Task Force for all of

their hard work to bring awareness of the needs of the Harbor to the community. I had the privilege of attending the first Setauket Harbor Day this past summer, which I believe was a success, as it was both entertaining and educational.”

Looking ahead, Englebright said he’d hope to see the group follow through in working with the Town of Brookhaven to see what kinds of progress can be achieved in addressing road runoff is-sues and restoring the ecological bal-ance of some of the most disrupted areas along the harbor.

“The fact that the town is planning to dredge the basin is, in part, a response to the initiative of local citizens,” Eng-lebright said. “That partnership is really all too rare, and it’s ideally what govern-ment should be doing. I hope the town continues to realize that this is a won-derful and promising partnership.”

File photosTop, a view of setauket harbor. Bottom, members of the setauket harbor Task Force work alongside government officials near the water earlier this year.


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By Clayton Collier

Suffolk County Sheriff Vincent DeMar-co has worked diligently over the last nine years going above and beyond what’s asked of his position.

His creation and development of the Youth Re-Entry Task Force, a program cre-ated to rehabilitate youth inmates, among his other initiatives, has earned him the distinction of a 2015 Times of Smithtown Person of the Year.

“The sheriff has truly changed the cul-ture of corrections in Suffolk County, and has put particular emphasis on rehabilita-tion of incarcerated youth,” said Kristin MacKay, director of pub-lic relations for the Suf-folk County Sheriff’s Of-fice. “He has been at the forefront of the fight to eliminate state mandates for new county jail con-struction, which saved the county’s taxpayers hundreds of millions of dollars.”

Though you wouldn’t know it from speaking with him, DeMarco did not initially intend to go into law enforcement. A Ronkonkoma native, DeMarco went to St. John’s Univer-sity, graduating with a degree in economics in 1991.

“I always had an interest in law enforce-ment,” DeMarco said. “But I didn’t think it was going to be my career.”

After two years working in the financial industry in New York City, DeMarco tran-sitioned into law enforcement, becoming a deputy sheriff for Suffolk County in 1994. DeMarco took to the job quickly.

“I think I have the best job in the world, I really do,” he said. “I love coming to work everyday. I love what I do.”

DeMarco was named Suffolk County sheriff in 2006 and became the first uni-formed member of the Sheriff’s Office to be elected sheriff, and one of the youngest sheriffs ever elected in Suffolk County.

From the beginning of his tenure, De-Marco said he has made working with youth inmates a priority of his administra-tion. In 2011, DeMarco began assembling the partners needed for an undertaking like the Youth Re-Entry Task Force.

“We needed partners on the outside in order to make this a success,” DeMarco said. “We needed housing. … We also had to find not-for-profits that were willing to come into the correctional facilities and do some coun-

seling: drug counseling, anger management, life skill counseling, vocation-al counseling, all types of stuff to fill our program, so when they leave the facili-ties they actually have the tools to succeed instead of just warehousing them in a correctional facil-ity where you’re not giving them any tools and they’re going to fail.”

Among the most essential resources De-Marco and his administration found was housing for youths in Hope House Min-istries in Port Jefferson and Timothy Hill Children’s Ranch in Riverhead.

Thaddaeus Hill, executive director of Timothy Hill Children’s Ranch — created and named in memory of his older brother — said the program has seen great success, highlighted by the 50 percent drop in recidi-vism among youths that enter the program.

“Sheriff DeMarco has pioneered pro-grams that few in this country have had the courage to take on,” Hill said. “He looks at the big picture beyond the walls of his jail and that has allowed him to make a sig-

nificant impact on the lives of many young people on Long Island.”

Another key component was Eastern-Suffolk BOCES to incorporate education into the program. Barbara Egloff, divisional administrator for Eastern Suffolk BOCES and Oversight of the Jail Education Pro-gram and Career, Technical and Adult Ed-ucation, said DeMarco has effectively used the strengths of all of his partnerships to make the program a success.

“It is inspiring to work with Sheriff De-Marco,” Egloff said. “He has instilled the im-portance of effective collaboration to all who have the opportunity to work with him.”

Suffolk County Court Judge Fernando Camacho, who heads the County’s Felony Youth Part, a program created in conjunc-tion with Sheriff DeMarco, said it is rare to come across a sheriff so dedicated to creat-ing better lives for his inmates after they have served their time.

“I’ve worked in criminal justice my entire professional career, over 30 years, and I’ve worked with a lot of individuals running correctional facilities, and I can honestly say I’ve run across somebody who’s actu-ally bringing in social workers and service providers into his jail to help young people to identify what the issues are, and to try to come up with solutions,” Camacho said.

Camacho said it is important to work with youth inmates to improve their situa-tions upon leaving the jail.

“Rather than putting them Upstate for three years and forgetting about them, we’re actually thinking about it in a different way,” Camacho said. “Let’s see if we can fig-ure out why this kid got in trouble, and let’s see if we can put a plan in place that’s going to give this kid an opportunity to break out of the cycle and get back on track.”

As DeMarco explains, the program’s numbers speak for themselves.

“Nationally, the average inmate has an

83 percent chance of returning,” DeMarco said. “The kids that come through our pro-gram have a 23 percent chance of coming back; that’s a big difference.”

Overall, the program contributes to low-ering the number of inmates in county jails, allowing DeMarco to prevent the costly un-dertaking of additional facilities.

“It doesn’t cost us any more to provide these services to the youth in this facil-ity, but the return we get is that they don’t come back to the facility and we lower the jail population, and that has enabled us not to build more jail cells; a huge cost to the taxpayers.”

In the future, DeMarco hopes to expand for additional age groups. The more people he can help, he says, the better.

“If someone winds up touching the crim-inal justice system and they wind up in this facility, and we can find out the underlying reason why this crime was committed,” he said, “we can change that and change their behavior when they get out, we’ve increased public safety, and that’s the goal.”

County sheriff reduces return rate of inmates

Photos from Kristin MacKay above, Vincent DeMarco, center, poses for a photo with some members of the youth re-entry task Force during a regular bi-monthly meeting. Below, DeMarco is reducing the rate of recidivism in county jails.

‘He looks at the big picture beyond the walls of his jail and that has allowed him to make a significant impact on the lives of many young people on Long Island.’

— Thaddaeus hill


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By Alex Petroski

The way someone handles the loss of a loved one can speak volumes about their perseverance and character.

Heather Buggee has used her per-sonal loss as inspiration to brighten the lives of others.

Splashes of Hope, the nonprofit or-ganization she established in 1996, provides murals for medical and social service facilities to create welcoming en-vironments that facilitate healing. For her efforts to up-lift her neighbors, Heather Buggee is a Times of Smithtown Person of the Year.

Buggee said in an interview that the loss of her friend Will Harvey in 1989 was what drove her to start painting scenes on the ceil-ing tiles of Blythe-dale Children’s Hospital in Westchester County — where she also created her first mural. Harvey was an artist too, and the projects she took up following his death served as therapy for Buggee.

“While staying with her friend, she re-alized how sterile and uninspiring the en-vironment was and would talk about how they would brighten up the space and let artwork become a part of the healing pro-cess,” Phil Rugile, the Splashes of Hope board president and director of Launch-Pad Huntington, said.

According to Buggee, what started out as a few volunteer projects on the week-ends with friends turned into a nonprofit organization with the mission of turning

hospital environments from “clinical to colorful.”

“After her friend died, she dedicated herself to creating artwork for hospitals, mostly children’s and then veterans as well, working with staff to understand the therapeutic nature of art in ERs and critical care units,” Rugile said. “That dedication to the mission has resulted in her creating inspirational environments both locally and internationally. Heather has built a small and effective organiza-tion that achieves maximum results for

minimal personal gain.”

Jean Brand, the program director for the Adult Day Health Care pro-gram at the Long Island State Veter-ans Home in Stony Brook, sent a thank you note to Buggee after the hospital received an installa-

tion in November.“The positive reaction of our veter-

ans and staff to the new murals is over-whelming,” the note sent to Buggee said. “The colorful and lively iconic scenes of Long Island landmarks bring the pro-gram room to life, evoking warm memo-ries for our veterans. The fireworks mu-ral evokes patriotic pride, and of course all the American flags skillfully placed on each mural remind us of the precious freedom our veterans fought to protect.”

Buggee said reactions like those from the patients at the Long Island State Veterans Home are what she most looks forward to.

“My favorite part of the ‘splash’ jour-

ney, besides the creative process, is hear-ing the results of each splash and the purpose being served by each piece,” Buggee said.

In November, Splashes of Hope re-ceived the Humanitarian Award from the Adults and Children with Learning and Developmental Disabilities Inc. for “continuing to bring smiles to the faces of patients, students, staff and visitors at medical and social service facilities by creating art that transforms spaces, en-riches environments and facilitates heal-ing,” according to a press release from the ACLD.

Buggee graduated from the Connecti-cut Institute of Art in 1995 and then studied fresco paintings and interior design at Studio Art Centers Interna-tional in Florence, Italy. She now lives in Huntington with her husband, Jimmy, her daughter, Sarah, and her three dogs named Roxy, Eve and Oliver. She refers to Huntington as “the greatest town in the whole wide world.”

But her efforts to bring smiles to her neighbors’ faces reach way beyond town lines.

To donate to Splashes of Hope or to get involved, visit www.splashesofhope.org.

Photos from Heather Buggeetop, Heather Buggee stands with her daughter in front of one of their ‘splashes’; splashes of Hope artist with Jean Brand of the long island state Veterans Home; members of thesplashes of Hope staff. Bottom, Heather Buggee and a young boy painting a mural.

‘The fireworks mural evokes patriotic pride, and of course all the American flags skillfully placed on each mural remind us of the precious freedom our veterans fought to protect.’

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Quality health care and, to hear state Sen. Ken LaValle (R-Port Jefferson) de-scribe it, home cooking, are good for the body, mind, soul and community. That’s the argument the Republican senator has been making for years on behalf of Stony Brook Medical Center and its hospital.

After the university lost out earlier this year on a partnership with Peconic Bay Medical Center, which agreed to team up with North Shore-LIJ, the long-time local senator has continued his unflagging support of Stony Brook, par-ticularly with Mather Hospital.

“If we think of a wheel, the hub of a wheel and the local community hospitals are its spokes,” LaValle said, with Stony Brook at the center. “This is my vision and one that I think is good for the peo-ple I represent” to allow them to have the “best quality health care” close to home.

For his consistent and long-term ef-forts to lend the support of his office to an important area institution, and for the passion and dedication he has shown to the residents of the region for close to four decades, LaValle is a Times of Smithtown Man of the Year.

Stony Brook officials appreciated La-Valle’s work on their behalf and sug-gested that he played a seminal role in keeping the ongoing relationship with Southampton Hospital on track.

“It took perseverance to continue to

push the Southampton relationship with Stony Brook through,” said Reuven Pas-ternak, the CEO of Stony Brook Univer-sity Hospital. “He was absolutely critical in keeping those discussions going and seeing them to fruition.”

Pasternak said LaValle also facilitated a connection with Eastern Long Island Hospital.

LaValle has been “a big supporter” of that relationship, Pasternak said. “He’s always made himself available to speak to people in Albany.”

Indeed, LaValle was instrumental in the building of the new Medicine and Research Translation building, a 240,000-square foot facility that is ex-pected to be completed in 2016.

Kenneth Kaushansky, the dean of the School of Medicine and the senior vice president of health sciences, said LaValle helped secure critical state financing.

LaValle identified $45 million that was earmarked for a law school at Stony Brook that was never built that he “was able get reallocated,” said Kaushansky. “The state support for MART was hugely dependent on the senator.”

Kaushansky said he and LaValle have regular discussions about any potential issues that arise.

If things aren’t proceeding the way the university would like, LaValle “al-ways volunteers to help put them back on track.”

State Assemblyman Steve Englebright

(D-Setauket) said LaValle deserves rec-ognition for his work on behalf of Stony Brook and all the area hospitals.

“He is firmly supportive of Stony Brook’s role and mission, as well as for all the hospitals in our community,” En-glebright said.

LaValle suggested his role as chair-man of the Senate Committee on Higher Education gives him an opportunity to advocate on behalf of the medical school. His chairmanship provides “a vehicle to

be able to work with other people in the state university system and within state agencies,” he said.

The approximately 129 students in each medical school class contribute to area health care while they pursue their education, LaValle said.

“That is one of the very first helping points for the university,” LaValle said. “It’s being able to fulfill the education of their medical students. There are also

File photo by Barbara DonlonState Sen. Ken laValle works with north Shore elected officials and residents to ensure the community, and greater long island region, have quality health care.

LAVALLE continued on page A25

North Shore researchers on front lines of medicineBy Daniel Dunaief

They have a sense of urgency that mo-tivates those around them to push for better results. In fighting against diseas-es that kill millions of people every year, they are doing what they’ve done from the time they left their home country of Lebanon until they arrived at Stony Brook three years ago: they are support-ing their colleagues, recruiting top talent from around the world, and encourag-ing their staff to train and encourage the next generation of researchers.

Yusuf Hannun, the director of the Cancer Center at Stony Brook, and Lina Obeid, the dean for research, continue to build a deep and talented team, adding researchers focused on curing diseases while also developing the next genera-tion of Stony Brook scientists.

The Times of Smithtown newspaper recognizes Hannun and Obeid as People of the Year for their day-to-day leader-ship, their discoveries in their labs, and their focus on the future of science at Stony Brook.

“In terms of what they are building at Stony Brook, their vision is to grow that Cancer Center into a NCI-designated Cancer Center,” said Gerard Blobe, a professor of medicine and the research director at the Division of Medical On-cology at Duke University Medical Cen-

ter who earned his Ph.D. in Hannun’s lab more than 20 years ago. They want to make it a “force in clinical care and re-search and training. They have a mission up there and I have no doubt that they’ll accomplish it.”

Indeed, Blobe said the National Can-cer Institute designation is just the “icing on the cake” that enables the center to seek funding for some projects. What’s more important, he said, is “what they will accomplish by getting that prize,” in building and developing Stony Brook’s research abilities.

Scientists in the same field as Hannun were quick to praise his achievements and innovation.

Discoveries by Hannun about sphin-golipids, which are molecules that are in-volved in a range of roles, including cell division, differentiation and cell death, provided key insights.

Hannun “pushed the field into the modern age,” said Tony Futerman, the Joseph Meyerhoff professorial chair of biochemistry at the Weizmann In-stitute of Science in Rehovot, Israel. “He’s been innovative for 30 years in the field. He’s undoubtedly, if not the leader, then a leader. It’s fair to say the same about” Obeid.

In her lab, Obeid, who is the dean for research and a professor of medicine at the Stony Brook School of Medicine, is

exploring the role of enzymes that con-trol molecules that are involved in cell growth and others that play a role in cell death or differentiation.

While Futerman is a competitor to Hannun in some respects, he suggested that Hannun has been instrumental in the careers of many other scientists, developing talented and dedicated re-searchers who have also made significant contributions.

“They are excellent mentors of young-er people,” he said. “There’s a whole school of former post docs who went on to get independent positions. This speaks to their mentorship. They both have the same attitude: they push young people into leadership positions.”

Indeed, those who have worked for Obeid and Hannun in the past suggested that they offered the kind of guidance,

File photosyusuf Hannun, left, and lina Obeid, right, are constantly working to improve their team of dedicated researchers with the hopes of curing complicated diseases.

HANNUN continued on page A25


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DiNunzio does it allBy Elana Glowatz

Jumping out of a plane, mentoring younger people and planting flowers are all in a day’s work for Ed DiNunzio.

He’s officially the head of membership for the Port Jefferson Rotary but he has worn many more hats during his years with the service organization, filling in wherever he can to make his community a better place to live.

For selflessly dedicating his endless en-ergy to serving his neighbors, DiNunzio is a Times of Smithtown Person of the Year.

One of DiNunzio’s biggest roles is in the Gift of Life program, which started in Suffolk County 40 years ago — but has expanded through Rotary International — and provides lifesaving heart proce-dures to children around the globe. The Person of the Year has been involved since the beginning, Port Jefferson Ro-tary member Debbie Engelhardt said, using his skills as a lawyer to help it get organized and off the ground.

Suffolk Rotary clubs have most recent-ly raised funds and brought a 4-year-old girl to Long Island from Kosovo, for a surgery to repair a nickel-sized hole in her heart called an atrial septal defect. Gift of Life also works to provide medi-cal staff in other countries with equip-ment and training to perform such

procedures, so children will not have to travel so far for treatment in the future.

DiNunzio has gone to extremes for the program. He once raised money for Gift of Life by skydiving.

“That was a great thing that he did personally,” fellow Rotarian Dennis Brennan said, noting the physical risk involved in jumping out of a plane for charity. “That was a large sacrifice on his part to do that.”

Each jumper in that fundraising effort was supposed to bring in $1,500 but Di-Nunzio collected $2,150 for Gift of Life.

“He’s true blue,” said Engelhardt, who is also the director of the Comsewogue Public Library.

“He’s got more energy than basically anybody I know.”

Skydiving isn’t the only way DiNunzio brings in funding for Rotary. Engelhardt said the club holds an annual raffle fund-raiser in which each member is expected to sell at least 25 tickets, but “without fail, Ed sells over 200 every year.”

But it’s not just about the money — between attending to his family in Mount Sinai and his law practice in Port Jefferson, DiNunzio also gives his time.

He is heavily involved in the Rotary Youth Exchange program, through which students study abroad and stay with a host family. According to Engel-

hardt, DiNunzio has lent a hand on an organizational level for the Northeastern region for many years and has opened his home to exchange students from other areas.

Between those kids and others from the Northeast who had life-changing experiences overseas through the pro-gram, DiNunzio has made an impact on the lives of numerous young people.

Engelhardt explained that a lot of them are now grown adults living all over the world, but whenever they are in the area they look up DiNunzio.

She said Rotary is about using your life to make the world a better place, and DiNunzio does that.

“Everybody’s part of something big-ger,” Engelhardt said. “He’s not a child,

Photo from Debbie EngelhardtEd Dinunzio skydives for a Gift of life fundraiser.

DINUNZIO continued on page A16


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but he’d be our poster child.”Brennan described DiNunzio’s metic-

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“He watches it like a hawk,” Brennan said.

And he is meticulous about his physi-cal fitness too. Brennan said DiNunzio brings an important strength to the Ro-tary: The club uses a heavy wooden sign when it collects food for donation, and “we depend on Ed” to bring it to the col-

lections because he’s the only one who can lift it on his own.

Once at Camp Pa-Qua-Tuck, a Center Moriches camp for kids with disabili-ties where the Rotary does cleanups and beautification, a group was planting pe-rennials by a flagpole but the ground was hard, making digging difficult.

“Old Ed, he just kept going at it,” Brennan said. “He never quit.”

Brennan refers to the Person of the Year as “Mr. Rotary” because he has his hand in every program and gives his all.

“When he gets involved with some-thing … he puts his whole self into it and the results are easy to see,” he said. “He’s a very caring person and I think that he’s demonstrated that.”

DINUNZIOContinued from page A14

Photo from Debbie EngelhardtDiNunzio, kneeling, gets painting in downtown Port Jefferson.


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the Huntington Chamber of Commerce, where she works frequently with Scheiner to organize events to provide education op-portunities for the residents of Huntington.

She has been able to use her extensive network at St. Joseph’s to provide quality educators for training programs organized by the Chamber of Commerce, including events like the business leadership compe-tition for local high school students.

Lamberta has hosted this conference for the past three years, which takes place at St. Joseph’s in early December and has been running for 13 years.

About 350 students participated in the most recent competition, which asks students to present plans about retail markets, graphic design, hospitality and more, regarding scenarios the chamber gives to the students in advance. Stu-dents are also tested on their interview skills, and are offered tours of the cam-pus as well as job workshops.

“The kids are amazing,” Lamberta said. “To see them pull together and cre-ate top-notch presentations is one of my favorite parts of being involved with the chamber. It’s refreshing to see that cali-ber at the high school level.”

Melissa Kuehnle, director of com-munications and external relations at St. Joseph’s, said Lamberta is an asset to have for any project.

“She is a very good per-son to work with, because she knows so many people throughout the community,” Kuehnle. “She’s a doer and a hard worker. She’s always got her hands on something.”

She also works with LaunchPad Hun-tington and Huntington Business Incu-bator to provide free courses that teach members of the community skills on organization, leadership, basic computer skills, creating a business plan and more.

“She’s heavily entrenched in the local economy and local education,” Phil Rugile,

director of LaunchPad Huntington, said of Lamberta. “She is very good at bringing the educational world to a local level.”

To further improve Huntington, Lam-berta is also involved with Leadership Huntington, an organization that identi-fies the current needs and challenges fac-ing Huntington. Lamberta is currently involved in Flagship Program, which takes place over nine months and helps all members develop an in-depth under-

standing of the community, history and art of the town.

Lamberta gives her time to numerous other organizations across Long Island, including volunteering for Ride for Life, as president of the Long Island Leisure Services Association, and as a board member of

the Youth Council of the Suffolk County Workforce Development Board.

When asked why she started getting so involved in Huntington years ago, she said she wanted to help make her town better.

“I wanted to give [Huntington] my best,” she said. “I love everything about Huntington — what it has to offer in terms of parks, quality of medical care and the support within the township.”

Lifelong North Shore native gives back

Photos from Gail LambertaAbove, Gail Lamberta is an associate dean at St. Joseph’s College. Bottom, Lamberta in a dunk tank at an ALS Ride for Life fundraiser. Bottom right, Lamberta at National Grid for a Leadership Huntington event.

‘She is very good at bringing the educational world to a local level.’

— phil rugile

By ViCtoRiA ESpiNozA

What started out as a high school camp counselor job has turned into a ca-reer of giving back to Huntington Town for Gail Lamberta.

Lamberta, 62, is an associate dean at St. Joseph’s College in Patchogue, as well as a professor and coordinator of experi-ential learning. She’s a native Hunting-ton resident, born in Huntington Hospi-tal and graduated from Walt Whitman High School in 1971. “I’m proud to be a wildcat,” she said in a phone interview.

Lamberta is involved with more than

half a dozen organizations throughout Long Island, and people who know her, marvel at her ability to be in 10 places at once, and her commitment to Huntington.

It is for this reason she is a Times of Smithtown newspaper Person of the Year for the year 2015.

“Gale is 100 percent devoted to the town, there is no doubt about it,” Rob Scheiner, chair of the Huntington Cham-ber of Commerce said. “She is such a dedicated individual. She’ll do whatever we ask of her. Anytime we need a volun-teer for a project, she’s there.”

Lamberta is on the board of directors at


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COLD SPRING HARBOR • LLOYD HARBOR • LLOYD NECK • HALESITE • HUNTINGTON BAY • GREENLAWN • CENTERPORT • ASHAROKEN • EATON’S NECK • FORT SALONGA–WEST of Huntington • Northport • East Northport

BY VICTORIA ESPINOZA

Harborfields school district residents voted in favor of $11.7 million in districtwide capital im-provements, while also mowing down a $1.9 mil-lion plan to add turf fields.

The proposals were presented to the public in two separate propositions in a referendum vote held on Tuesday.

Proposition No. 1, the dis-trictwide upgrades, received 1,248 yes votes and 573 no

Photo by Dan Woulfi n

Yip-or-treat in CSHCostumed dogs and their owners marched in the 9th annual Howl-ween: Corky’s Canine Costume Parade Celebration on Sunday. For more photos, see page A10.

Photos by Victoria Espinoza

Hayridin’ and pumpkin pickin’ in NorthportThe Northport Chamber of Commerce hosted the 14th annual Halloween Hayride in Northport Village Park on Sunday. Above, scenes from the event. For more photos, see page A10.

H’� elds OKs $11.7M upgrades, no turf

H’FIELDS continued on page A8File photo by Rohma Abbas

Diana Todaro

All about electionsEverything you need to know about

your local candidates ahead of Nov. 3 STARTS ON PAGE A11

Nightmare On Main Street

Also:Minstrel Player’s ‘Back to the

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143693

Librarian keeps North Shore informedBy Giselle Barkley

She is the librarian’s librarian and one of Emma S. Clark Memorial Library’s longest-serving employees.

Throughout her 30 years at the East Se-tauket library, reference librarian Carolyn Emerson, 61, can find almost anything, her colleagues said. But it’s her involve-ment with the library and caring attitude that’s made her an intricate part of the li-brary and the community, and that is why the Times of Smithtown selected her as a Person of the Year in 2015.

Every other Wednesday, this soft-spoken librarian has organized the library’s senior bus program, which transports to the li-brary senior residents who would otherwise be unable to go to the library. Although she didn’t start the program, Emerson took over the program to help these seniors.

She also used her position at the library and her knowledge of Three Village his-tory to organize and create programs like last year’s Culper Spy Day, which paid homage to the community’s ties to spy rings during the Revolutionary War.

On June 20, 2014, the library held its first Culper Spy Day program, where res-idents could learn about the Revolution-ary War, the Culper Spy Ring and its ties to Long Island. Three Village Historian Bev Tyler, of Three Village Historical So-

ciety, helped organize the event and said Emerson established a user-friendly site to spread the word about the spy ring throughout the community.

“She’s a very community-oriented [person] and easy to work with,” Ty-ler said. “She really makes the library a good common resource for more than just books and videos, but also history.”

Her efforts to inform the community stemmed from a desire to share her vast array of knowledge with others and help those in need, those close to her said. And her hard work is not only for the bigger programs, but also for little tasks that ac-company her title as a reference librarian in Emma S. Clark’s Adult section.

“Whenever anybody comes up to the reference desk, she just gives it 110 per-cent,” said co-worker Jennifer Mullen, the public relations manager and community outreach librarian. “She doesn’t stop look-ing until she finds it either, and everybody appreciates that. She digs deep.”

Mullen met Emerson a little more than 10 years ago. They worked side-by-side as reference librarians. Now, Mullen works alongside Teen Services Librarian Na-nette Feder, who also commended Em-erson for her insight on art, local history and literature, and dedication to her work and the community members she serves.

Emerson’s husband, Mark Rothen-

berg, said his wife comes from a line of people who share her tenacity and need to give back to their community.

Emerson’s mother was recognized for her work following Hurricane Andrew, building homes for storm victims. Her fa-ther, a psychiatrist who ran a family clinic, counseled families in the Miami area. While her parents did their part to actively help those around them, they encouraged a young Carolyn Emerson and her siblings to be compassionate and stand up for them-selves and their beliefs, Rothenberg said.

Emerson was diagnosed with breast cancer in 2010. Despite the diagnosis, chemotherapy and surgery, Emerson re-mained resilient. She was cleared of can-cer the following year and continued her work inside and outside the library.

“Many times, I’m in awe of her,” said Rothenberg, who works as the head of the Patchogue-Medford Library’s Celia M. Hastings Local History Room. “She’s been through a lot, including cancer.”

In addition to being a reference librar-ian, Emerson has also worked as a pub-lished poet. She has written poems in both English and French for publication.

The librarian has also overseen poetry and book discussions, which are a hit among residents, her coworkers said.

Mullen said Emerson acquired a large following for her evening book discus-sions and monthly poetry meetings. Her ability to listen appears to be one of Em-erson’s many positive qualities that help further assist those who request her help, Mullen said.

Photo by Dianne TrautmannCarolyn emerson, left, leads a discussion at emma s. Clark Memorial library.


133960

SCCC coach lends helping hand on and off court

By Giselle Barkley

Just keep shooting.That’s what Kevin Foley used to tell the women play-

ing for the Suffolk County Community College wom-en’s basketball team.

And he didn’t just encourage them to never give up on the court, but off the court as well both before and after retiring as the women’s basketball head coach earlier in 2015. But retirement didn’t stop Foley from returning to SCCC as the institution’s athletic direc-tor that same year.

That is why Kevin Foley was selected as a 2015 Times of Smithtown Person of the Year.

Vice President of Student Affairs Christopher Ad-ams said Foley has worked at the college nearly 37 years as a professor and member of the school’s athletic de-partment. While Adams described Foley as dedicated and passionate, he said it’s his overall approach to life that resonates with him.

“He’s very big on success in the classroom and the athletic fields,” Adams said.

Adams said Foley instilled important life lessons into all of his players: you’ll be successful if you’re a “good sport” who follows the rules.

Foley was like a father figure for some of his play-ers in his 19 years of coaching, those close to him said. Former SCCC student and basketball player Colleen Quinn said she remembers Foley differently than other coaches she had when growing up. As a high school student, Quinn said she always felt like she wasn’t do-ing well on the basketball court.

“I only really had a few coaches to compare him to, and those coaches were similar [to one another],” Quinn said. “Now that I’m an adult and I can look at how [Foley] handled [coaching] and how he managed his team...you’ve got to kill yourself to prove anything to him [because] he already sees what your potential is and he’ll nurture it.”

Quinn graduated from SCCC in 1999 and played for Foley when she attended the college in 1997. Quinn, of Middle Island, was a senior in high school when Foley approached her after watching her play a game at the college.

Initially, she didn’t plan on playing basketball at the college level before Foley spoke to her. But Foley helped her, and many students just like her.

SCCC’s Athletics and Intramurals Coordinator Ker-ry Swanson met Foley 20 years ago when she was one of his players. Swanson attended the college in the early to mid 1990s.

She admitted that she was unsure of what she was doing with her life and Foley helped steer her in the right direction. According to Swanson, Foley has a

Photo from Kerry Swansonkevin Foley has his team huddle around for a discussion.

FOLEY continued on page A27


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Vicky Rybak’s got your backBy Rachel SifoRd

Vicki Rybak has been serving the Long Island com-munity for more than a decade, known by her friends and coworkers as one of the busiest and most resource-ful people they know.

As the director of social ministry and outreach for Infant Jesus R.C. Church in Port Jefferson, Rybak has gone above and beyond her job description. For that reason, she has been named a Times of Smithtown Per-son of the Year.

“She is a last resort for a lot of people,” said Debbie Engelhardt, director of the Comsewogue Public Li-brary and a Port Jefferson Rotary Club member.

The Rotary Club works closely with Rybak and the church. One of their biggest collaborations is on The Open Cupboard at the church, a food pantry for needy Long Islanders that the Rotary donates to. According to Engelhardt, one in eight on Long Island currently need help from food banks.

“Year-round she is involved in projects like this,” Engelhardt said about Rybak. “She tries to be everything that anyone needs, which can be exhausting. She is help-ing families from falling through the cracks and they are really fortunate to have someone who has the time and energy to be that person.”

Jim Fenton is one of the oldest volunteers at Infant Jesus and has worked with Rybak closely.

“Vicki is extremely resourceful when someone comes to her with a problem,” Fenton said. “She has all these phone numbers at her fingertips, and is very com-passionate too.”

Fenton added that Rybak devotes time to applying for grants to keep the food pantries stocked and keep the equipment working — “all of her own initiative.”

“She goes above and beyond what is in her job description,” Fenton added. “There is nothing she won’t do.”

Sharon Brennan, another Rotary Club member, shared an anecdote of working with Rybak. Once, a couple went to her office crying because a fire had de-stroyed everything they owned.

“Vicki started making calls immediately, getting them stuff over the phone, getting Christmas presents for their children,” Brennan said. “She just goes into high gear and makes stuff happen.”

Rybak is involved in many different programs throughout the year, including the Adopt-A-Family pro-gram for the holiday season, through which volunteers purchase Christmas presents such as toys and clothes for families who do not have enough money to spend on those items themselves. That project gets a lot of resi-dents and community groups involved, including the Interact Club at Port Jefferson’s Earl L. Vandermeulen High School, right down the road from the church.

The Person of the Year also works on a back-to-school project, filling up 150 backpacks with school supplies — such as composition notebooks and pencils — for children at the start of the each new school year, with the help of community donations.

“Vicki somewhere, somehow finds a way to help them, no matter what they need,” Laszlo Girhiny, a church member, said about Rybak’s dedication to lo-cal people in need. “Hundreds of people have walked through her doors.”

If Rybak cannot help people herself, she connects them with other social service agencies so the job can get done.

“She has the right attitude and always treats the people she helps with dignity,” Brennan said. “She says everyone has been there one time in their life.”


By Giselle Barkley

Huntington Hospital has more than just its age to celebrate.

Because it has been serving the com-munity for 99 years, working to fulfill its mission of providing high-quality health care to Long Islanders, the institution and its staff have been named The Times of Smithtown newspaper’s People of the Year.

Huntington Hospital has grown since its establishment in 1916.

“It has really trans-formed from being a community hospital to a community hospital that functions more like a uni-versity hospital,” Chief Medical Officer Dr. Mi-chael Grosso said.

Grosso has worked there for 31 years. He said the hospital doesn’t simply treat patients but also helps educate medical students and residents alike, preparing them for any medical complications that may oc-cur inside or outside hospital walls.

Patients go to the hospital for any-thing from minor health issues to robot-ic surgical procedures.

The latter treatment could involve, for example, a hysterectomy with a single in-cision that leads to minimal scaring, less pain, low blood loss and a faster recovery.

According to Executive Director Dr. Gerard Brogan, those complex proce-dures have “won the highest praise based on quality and clinical outcomes.”

In addition to that praise, the hospital has received several awards for its tech-niques, including one from the Ameri-can Heart Association and American Stroke Association for stroke care, ac-creditations from the Commission on Cancer and the National Accreditation

Program for Breast Centers and a Breast Imaging Center of Ex-cellence award from the American College of Radiology.

Its nursing staff has been recognized by the American Nurses Cre-dentialing Center, and Huntington Hospital

was the first to receive such a designation three consecutive times.

“What makes Huntington so unique is its commitment to … provide the highest quality care possible anywhere, and to do it with the greatest caring,” Brogan said. “It’s not just enough to give great quality care. It also has to be quality caring.”

According to Grosso, prominent Huntington resident Cornelia Prime, who was already in her 70s, spearheaded the push to establish a hospital in the

early 1900s. At the time, the closest fa-cility was in Mineola. Prime wanted the local hospital to be a high-quality medi-cal facility that would cater to the area’s growing population. In December 1914, she purchased the five-acre property on Park Avenue where the hospital still stands. She established the Huntington Hospital two years later.

The hospital joined the North Shore-LIJ Health System in 1994. Connecting with other facilities expanded the resources available to medical staff and patients.

It isn’t done growing. It’s expanding in 2016 to include a new emergency department to replace its current one and accommodate a recent increase in patients — the entire facility serves 50,000 patients annually.

Suffolk County Legislator William “Doc” Spencer (D-Centerport) said he is proud to be a part of the institu-tion for the past 20 years, starting as a resident in training and now as the chief of otolaryngology.

“Huntington Hospital has placed such an emphasis on serving the com-munity and providing support,” he

said in a phone interview. “They offer superior medical care and continue to update based on the needs of the com-munity.”

Grosso said the institution is unique because of its deep roots with Huntington.

“The hospital continues to build and expand to meet the needs of the commu-nity,” Grosso said. “[It] has an unusual real relationship with the community and one of the reasons … is because it’s been there for 100 years and … there isn’t [another] hospital next door.”

Local hospital has been caring for a century

Photos from Huntington Hospital Clockwise, the skyHealth team poses for a photo on the hospital’s new helipad established this past summer; a view of the plans for the new emergency department; a helicopter takes flight from the helipad; and the front entrance of Huntington Hospital.

‘Huntington Hospital has placed such an emphasis on serving the community and providing support.’

— william ‘doc’ spencer


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lavalleContinued from page A8

HaNNUNContinued from page A8

discipline and approach that was appli-cable in and outside the lab.

“Part of [Hannun’s] success is he’s very good at planning,” said Supriya Jayadev, who was a graduate student in Hannun’s lab at Duke and is now the executive director of Clallam Mosaic in Port Angeles, Washington. “He plans out an experiment such that it works the first time.”

Corinne Linardic was Hannun’s first graduate student. She said someone cautioned her about the risks of joining a new lab. Her first meeting with him, however, quickly allayed her concerns.

“I remember him saying, ‘It’s impor-tant not to look where the light is, but to try to look into the dark and turn the light on,’” she said. “I thought that was very brave.”

Linardic, who is now an associate pro-fessor of pediatrics at Duke University School of Medicine, recalled how they were working on a compound called ce-ramide. Whenever they gave it to cells, the cells died. At first, they thought may-be they were doing something wrong in their experiments. Eventually, Hannun helped her understand that ceramide was activating a form of programmed cell death.

“It wasn’t a mistake or a technical disaster,” Linardic said. “We had to re-

frame the question.” The result was something she described as “profound.”

Linardic said she felt fortunate to work with Obeid, who had a similar un-biased view of the work.

“It was extraordinary to have a fe-male mentor as well,” Linardic said. She and her colleagues felt fortunate to be welcomed into Hannun and Obeid’s family, where they were not only offering guidance on their ca-reers, but also were caring for their young triplets at home.

Linardic, Blobe and Jayadev started just around the time the triplets were born. They were “raising three biological children and three graduate students at the same time,” said Linardic.

While they have come a long way from the beginning of their careers and their family, Hannun and Obeid have kept a consistent focus on the potential clinical benefits of their research.

“They get the translational aspects,” Futerman said. “When [Hannun] moved to Stony Brook to head the Can-cer Center, that was one of the aims for his move, to be in a position where he can apply basic science to translational research.”

Futerman said there was “no question in my mind” that Hannun and Obeid de-serve recognition in the Long Island com-munity and the scientific community.

“They are considered leaders,” Futer-man said. “They contribute a lot to the academic community.”

people doing their clinical work and residencies.”

LaValle is contributing to Stony Brook’s effort to secure a longer-term connection with Mather. He cited numerous such two-way benefits for a potential longer-term alliance.

Stony Brook can provide services that “will save Mather a lot of mon-ey,” LaValle said.

For patients of the two hospitals, the quality and convenience are also a winning combination.

“If someone needs cardiac care, it is a hop, skip and a jump to get that care,” LaValle said. “They don’t have to be helicoptered some place or drive a long time distance.”

Kaushansky appreciated the sup-port from the senator.

“He’s doing everything he can,” Kaushansky said. LaValle has “been a strong proponent of getting us and Mather to work together for the benefit” of the patient popula-tion in the area.

Kaushansky cited several other benefits to Mather of an ongoing and deeper connection with Stony Brook, including support for Mather’s stroke

center with back-up cerebral artery intervention, and support for their radiology department.

While a deeper connection with Mather would be mutually beneficial for the hospitals, LaValle suggested, it would also create an important level of convenience for patients.

“I have started with the premise that patient care closest to home is the best care for the patient,” LaValle said. “The families can interact and it’s convenient. We are focused in a way to ensure that the quality of health care is at its maximum.”

From the leaders through the rank and file, Stony Brook health care professionals appreciate LaVal-le’s support.

“If anybody were to ask a person working in the dialysis unit, ‘Of all the politicians in the state of New York, who do you think is the stron-gest advocate for Stony Brook Medi-cal School and Stony Brook Univer-sity Hospital?’ most of them would say Ken LaValle,” said Kaushansky.

Pasternak, who considers LaValle a friend, called him sincere in his beliefs.

“It’s not the politics that drives him,” Pasternak said. “It’s his pas-sion for the region and the people in the region.”


By Daniel Dunaief

It is not typically a group that gets car-ried away with praise. Often participants work under controlled conditions, test-ing results, retesting them and waiting for approval from reviewers.

Yet members of this group heap un-restrained praise on Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory, a facility that looks like a picture-postcard, with boats in the back-ground during the summer and a flourish of foliage in the fall.

“It’s a wonderful scientific environ-ment,” said Dennis Steindler, senior scien-tist and director of the Neuroscience and Aging Lab at the Jean Mayer USDA Hu-man Nutrition Research Center on Aging at Tufts University. “It represents a very important mecca. It has its own unique environment that fosters creativity and exceptional science.”

This year CSHL, which has been home at one point or another to eight Nobel Prize winning sci-entists, is celebrating its 125th year. For the re-search center’s contri-butions and its ongoing commitment to produc-ing top-flight research, The Times of Smithtown newspaper awards the staff at Cold Spring Har-bor Laboratory its People of the Year.

Patricia Wright, distinguished service professor of anthropology at Stony Brook University, said CSHL has more than made its mark. “There’s so many things that have come out of that lab that have changed the world,” she said. “Contrib-uting to the human genome project is an important step that is leading to medical genomics which may, one day, prevent diseases before they happen.”

Researchers led by Bruce Stillman — president and chief executive officer of CSHL and a scientist who studies how errors in DNA replication are involved

in diseases such as cancer — conduct experiments that may reveal key pro-cesses in cancer and autism, branching in plants, neural circuits involved in de-cision-making and much more. The lab’s research is broken down into five catego-ries: cancer, neuroscience, quantitative biology, plant biology, and bioinformat-ics-and-genomics. Each of these fields generates research papers every year that not only advance an understanding of basic science, but also offer potential to change the world by taking a novel ap-proach to a disease or increasing plant crop yields.

Zachary Lippman, associate professor at Watson School of Biological Sciences at CSHL, published a paper earlier this year in nature genetics in which he identified a set of genes that controls stem-cell produc-tion in tomatoes. Mutations in these genes can explain the origin of the beefsteak to-mato, which may help breeders fine-tune fruit size in any fruit-bearing crop.

Gregory Hannon, ad-junct professor and inves-tigator at Howard Hughes Medical Institute, mean-while, teamed up with As-sociate Professor Michael Schatz, among others, to characterize the entire ge-nome for a flatworm found in Italy that can regenerate almost its entire body after

an injury. These results, which were pub-lished in an edition of Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, a scien-tific journal, can provide a genetic road map to study the worm and its remark-able regeneration abilities.

These and many other studies pub-lished in high-profile scientific journals build on the work done by researchers such as Nobel Prize winner Barbara Mc-Clintock, who discovered transposable elements, or jumping genes, in maize.

The people that work at CSHL know, implicitly, that they are “standing on the backs of giants,” said Wright. Founded

in 1890, CSHL made seminal discoveries in science, including a study on hybrid vigor by George Harrison Shull, in which crossbred corn produced some 20 percent higher yields than natural pollination. In the 1940s Milislav Demerec, the lab direc-tor, discovered that exposing penicillin to X-rays increased the yield of a drug which was important during World War II. Mod-ern researchers who have spent time at CSHL praise the culture and opportunity.

“Science has always driven things here,” said Richard McCombie, a profes-sor who has been at CSHL since 1992. When he moved to an off-campus build-

ing, he recalled Stillman said, “It’ll be up to you guys to make sure the new people are imbued with the culture of the lab.”

Jan Witkowski, executive director of the Banbury Center at CSHL, said the lab is unique because of its combination of research and education.

“One of the most interesting things is this combination of very high level re-search and very high level of education and communication,” Witkowski said. “There’s no other institute in the world that does both of those things at the level we do it here.”

Giselle Barkley contributed reporting.

CSH Lab continues to test the limits of science

Above and bottom left photos by Giselle Barkley; bottom file photoafter 125 years Cold Spring Harbor laboratory continues to educate its students and conduct research. Richard McCombie, bottom right, stands inside a laboratory; and, bottom left, part of the picture-postcard CSHl campus.

‘It has its own unique environment that fosters creativity and exceptional science.’

— dennis steindler


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We Pick The Winners:87.5%

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coupled with his achievements, we say elect Stern to a final term in office.

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MuratoreSuffolk County Legislator Tom Muratore

(R-Ronkonkoma) said he doesn’t consider himself a politician but, instead, a man of the people. We agree.

LaValleWe have a feeling LaValle, a Republican

who grew up in Middle Country, will only keep getting better as time goes on. He has shown high energy and commitment.

[Losing candidates that we endorsed: Wehrheim, Creighton, Luft)

Times Beacon RecoRd

Election2015

FOLEYContinued from page A22

knack for helping those who are lost find their way regardless of who they are or his relationship with them.

“He tries to connect with people on some level. If he can go out of his way for someone, he just goes out of his way,” Swanson said about the current athletic director.

Adams said Foley also put the col-lege on the map, as many SCCC sports teams have improved under his leader-ship. He’s also earned several awards on multiple occasions including: the NATYCAA Cup otherwise known as the Pepsi Cup; the Learfield Sports Directors’ Cup; the Mickey Crowley Metropolitan Officials Sportsmanship award and the Joe DeBonis Sports-manship Award. The college received

this regional award 12 times in the past two decades.

He also celebrated his 400th career win earlier in 2015 along with several other awards for his work as a professor.

In honor of Foley and all his achieve-ments on and off the court, SCCC will rename the basketball court on the school’s Ammerman Campus in Selden after him. As a senior attending Seton Hall High School in 1965, Foley aver-aged 30 points per game. He also re-ceived a basketball scholarship to at-tend Seton Hall University where he served as the team’s captain from 1968-69. In 1994, he was inducted into the Suffolk Sports Hall of Fame.

“He is someone that could have gone anywhere to coach big time athletics,” Adams said. “He’s been at the college for almost 37 years. That speaks to his dedi-cation and it speaks to his love for our college and for the students.”

Photo from Kerry SwansonFoley watches a basketball game from the sidelines.


Religious D irectory

To be listed in the Religious Directory,

please call 751–7663

ASSEMBLIES OF GODSTONY BROOK CHRISTIAN ASSEMBLY

Connecting to God, Each Other and the World400 Nicolls Road, E. Setauket

(631) 689–1127 • Fax (631) 689–1215www.stonybrookchristian.com

Pastor Troy Reid Weekly Schedule

Sunday Worship w/nursery 10 amKidmo Children’s Church • Ignited Youth

Fellowship and Food Always to FollowTuesday Evening Prayer: 7 pm

� ursday Morning Bible Study w/Co� ee & Bagels: 10 amFriday Night Experience “FNX” for Pre K-Middle School: 6:30 pm

Ignite Youth Ministry: 7:30 pmCheck out our website for other events and times

BYZANTINE CATHOLICRESURRECTION BYZANTINE

CATHOLIC CHURCH38 Mayfl ower Avenue, Smithtown NY 11787

631–759–[email protected]

Fr. Jack Custer, SSL., STD., Pastor Cantor Joseph S. DurkoDivine Liturgy: Sunday, 11:15am followed by fellowship in the parish hall.

Holy Days: 7:00pm. See website for days and times.Faith Formation for All Ages:

Sunday School (Ages 4-13), alternate Sundays at 10:00amByzanTeens (14-18), alternate Tuesdays at 7:00pm

Adult Faith Formation: Mondays at 7:00pm. PrayerAnon Prayergroup for substance addictions:

Wednesdays at 7 pmSee the website for current topics and schedule.

� e Sacraments: Baptism, Chrismation and Eucharist for infants, children and adults arranged by appointment. Sacrament of Matrimony arranged by appointment. Sacrament of Repentance: Sundays 10:50 to 11:05am and

before or aft er all other services.All services in English. A parish of the Byzantine Catholic Eparchy of Passaic.

CATHOLICCHURCH OF ST. GERARD MAJELLA300 Terryville Road, Port Jefferson Station

(631) 473–2900 • Fax (631) 473–0015www.stgmajella.org

Rev. Gennaro DiSpigno, PastorOffi ce of Christian Formation • 928–2550

We celebrate Eucharist Saturday evening 5 pm, Sunday 7:30, 9 and 11 am

Weekday Mass Monday–Friday 9 amWe celebrate Baptism

Th ird weekend of each month during any of our weekend MassesWe celebrate Marriage

Arrangements can be made at the church with our Pastor or DeaconWe celebrate Penance

Confession is celebrated on Saturdays from 4–5 pmWe celebrate You!

Visit Our � ri� Shop Mon. – Fri. 10 am–4 pm + Sat. 10 am–2 pm

INFANT JESUS ROMAN CATHOLIC CHURCH110 Myrtle Ave., Port Jefferson, NY 11777

(631) 473-0165 • Fax (631) 331-8094www.www.infantjesus.org

Reverend Patrick M. Riegger, PastorAssociates: Rev. Francis Lasrado & Rev. Rolando Ticllasuca

To schedule Baptisms and Weddings, Please call the RectoryConfessions: Saturdays 12:30-1:15 pm in the Lower Church

Religious Ed.: (631) 928-0447 • Parish Outreach: (631) 331-6145Weekly Masses:

6:50 and 9 am in the Church, 12 pm in the Chapel*Weekend Masses:

Saturday at 5 pm in the Church, 5:15 pm in the Chapel*Sunday at 7:30 am, 10:30 am, 12 pm, and 5 pm in the Church

and at 8:30 am, 10 am, and 11:30 am (Family Mass) in the Chapel*Spanish Masses:

Sunday at 8:45 am and Wednesday at 6 pm in the Church*Held at the Infant Jesus Chapel at St. Charles Hospital

Religious Education: (631) 928-0447Parish Outreach: (631) 331-6145

CATHOLICST. JAMES ROMAN CATHOLIC CHURCH

429 Rt. 25A, Setauket, NY 11733Phone/Fax: (631) 941–4141

Mission Statement: In faith we come together to celebrate the Eucharist as a Parish Family; and as a Catholic community of faith,

we are sent to be Christ to the world around us.Rev. James-Patrick Mannion, Pastor

Rev. Daniel Opoku-Mensah, AssociateRev. Jon Fitzgerald, In Residence

Weekday Masses: Monday – Saturday 8:00 amWeekend Masses:

Saturday Vigil 5:00 pmSunday 8:00am, 9:30 am (family), 11:30 am (choir), 6:00 pm (Youth)

O� ce Hours: Monday–Th ursday 9:00 am – 2:00 pm, Friday 9:00 am – 12:00 pm, Saturday 9:00 am – 2:00 pm,

Baptisms: Sundays at 1:30 pm (except during Lent)Reconciliation: Saturdays 4:00 – 4:45 pm or by appointment

Anointing Of Th e Sick: by requestHoly Matrimony: contact the o� ce at least

9 months before desired date

CONGREGATIONALMT. SINAI CONGREGATIONALUNITED CHURCH OF CHRIST

233 North Country Road, Mt. Sinai • (631) 473–1582www.mtsinaichurchli.org

“No matter who you are or where you are on life’s journey, you are welcome here”

Sunday Services at 10 amSunday School and childcare off ered at the 10 am service and

open to all infants to 8th grade.Last Sundays of the month: 10 am Welcome Sunday Service

A service welcoming those with di� ering abilities We are an Open and A� rming Congregation.

EPISCOPALALL SOULS EPISCOPAL CHURCH

“Our little historic church on the hill” across from the Stony Brook Duck Pond

Main Street, Stony Brook • (631) 751–0034www.allsouls–stonybrook.org • [email protected]

Please come and welcome our new Priests:The Rev. Dr. Richard Visconti, Priest–In–Charge

The Rev. Farrell D. Graves, Priest AssociateSunday Holy Eucharist: 8 and 9:30 am

Religious instruction for children follows the 9:30 am Service� is is a small eclectic Episcopal congregation

that has a personal touch. We welcome all regardless of where you are on your spiritual journey. Walk with us.

CAROLINE CHURCH OF BROOKHAVEN

The Rev. Cn. Dr. Richard D. Visconti, RectorThe Rev. Farrell Graves, Priest Associate

1 Dyke Road on the Village Green, SetauketWeb site: www.carolinechurch.net

Parish Office email: [email protected](631) 941–4245

Sunday Services: 8:00 am, 9:30 am and 11:15 amChurch School/Child Care at 9:30 am

Church School classes now forming. Call 941-4245 for registrationWeekday Holy Eucharist’s: Th ursday 12:30 pm and

First Fri. of the month 7:30 pm (rotating: call Parish Offi ce for location)Youth, Music and Service Programs off ered

Let God walk with you as part of our family–friendly community.

EPISCOPAL CHRIST EPISCOPAL CHURCH

127 Barnum Ave., Port Jefferson(631) 473–0273

email: [email protected] www.christchurchportjeff.org

Father Anthony DiLorenzo: Priest–In–ChargeSunday Eucharist: 8 am and 10 am/Wednesday 10 in our chapel

Sunday School and Nursery at 9:30 amOur ministries: Welcome Inn on Mondays at 5:45 pm

AA meetings on Tuesdays and Th ursdays at 7 pm/Prayer Group on Wednesdays at 10:30 am/Bible Study on Th ursdays at 10 am.It is the mission of the people of Christ Church to grow in our

relationship with Jesus Christ and to make his love known to all through our lives and ministry.

We at Christ Church are a joyful, welcoming community. Wherever you are in your journey of life we want to

be part of it.

EVANGELICALTHREE VILLAGE CHURCH

Knowing Christ...Making Him Known322 Route 25A, East Setauket • (631) 941–3670

www.3vc.orgLead Pastor Josh Moody

Sunday Worship Schedule9:15 am:Worship Service Sunday School (Pre–K – Adult),

Nursery 10:30 am: Bagel/Coff ee Fellowship11:00 am: Worship, Nursery, Pre–K, Cornerstone Kids (Gr. K–4)

We off er weekly Teen Programs, Small Groups,Women’s Bible Studies (day & evening) & Men’s Bible Study

Faith Nursery School for ages 3 & 4Join us as we celebrate 55 years of proclaiming

the good news of Jesus Christ!

JEWISH CHABAD AT STONY BROOK

“Judaism with a smile”Future site: East side of Nicolls Rd, North of Rte 347 –Next to Fire Dept.

Current location: 821 Hawkins Ave., Lake Grove(631) 585–0521 • (800) My–Torah • www.ChabadSB.com

Rabbi Chaim & Rivkie GrossbaumRabbi Motti & Chaya GrossbaumRabbi Sholom B. & Chanie Cohen

Membership Free •Weekday, Shabbat & Holiday Services Highly acclaimed Torah Tots Preschool • Afternoon Hebrew School

Camp Gan Israel • Judaica Publishing Department • Lectures and Seminars • Living Legacy Holiday Programs

Jewish Learning InstituteFriendship Circle for Special Needs Children • The CTeen Network

N’shei Chabad Women’s Club • Cyberspace Library www.ChabadSB.com

Chabad at Stony Brook University – Rabbi Adam & Esther Stein

CORAM JEWISH CENTERYoung Israel of Coram

981 Old Town Rd., Coram • (631) 698–3939 YIC.org – [email protected]

RABBI DR. MORDECAI & MARILYN GOLSHEVSKYRABBI SAM & REBECCA GOLSHEVSKY

“THE ETERNAL FLAME–THE ETERNAL LIGHT” Weekly Channel #20 at 11 am

Shabbat Morning Services 9 am Free Membership. No building fund. Free Hebrew School. Bar/Bat Mitzvah Shabbat and Holiday Services followed by hot buffet. Adult Education Institute. Women’s Education Group–International Lectures and Torah Study. Adult Bar/Bat Mitz-

vah. Kaballah Classes. Jewish Holiday Institute. Tutorials for all ages.FREE HEBREW SCHOOL 2015–2016

Details (631)698–3939Member National Council of Young Israel

a world–wide organization.All welcome regardless of knowledge or observance level.

©144

897


JEWISH NORTH SHORE JEWISH CENTER

385 Old Town Rd., Port Jefferson Station (631) 928–3737

www.NorthShoreJewishCenter.orgRabbi Aaron Benson

Cantor Daniel Kramer, Rabbi Emeritus Howard HoffmanExecutive Director Marcie Platkin

Services: Daily morning and evening minyan Friday at 8 pm;Saturday 8:45 am and one hour before sundown • Tot Shabbat

Family Kehillah • Sisterhood • Men’s Club • Seniors Club • Youth Group Award–winning Religious School • Teen Community Service Program

Nursery School • Mommy and Me • Preschool Summer Program Continuing Ed • Adult Bar/Bat Mitzvah • Judaica Shop

Th rift Shop • Kosher Catering PanelWe warmly welcome you to our Jewish home. Come worship,

study and enjoy being Jewish with our caring NSJC family. Member United Synagogue of Conservative Judaism.

TEMPLE ISAIAH (REFORM)1404 Stony Brook Road, Stony Brook • (631) 751–8518

A warm and caring intergenerational communitydedicated to learning, prayer, social action, and friendship.

Rabbi Sharon L. Sobel Cantor Michael F. Trachtenberg Emeritus

Cantor Scott HarrisRabbi Emeritus Stephen A. Karol

Rabbi Emeritus Adam D. FisherMember Union for Reform Judaism

Sabbath Services Friday 7:30 pm and Saturday 10 am Monthly Family Service • Monthly Tot Shabbat • Religious School Youth Groups • Senior Club • Adult Education • Chavurah Groups

• Early AM Studies • Sisterhood • Brotherhood • PT

LUTHERAN–ELCA

ST. PAULS LUTHERAN CHURCH309 Patchogue Road, Port Jefferson Station

(631)473–7157Rev. Paul A. Downing, Pastor

email: [email protected] • pastors cell: 347–423–3623church website: wwwStPaulsLCPJS.org

ServicesSundays – 8:30 am and 10:30 am Holy Communion

Bibles and Bagels 9:30 amSunday School during 10:30 am service

Wednesday Evening 7:30 pm – Holy CommunionFriday Morning

Power of Prayer Hour 10:30 am~ All are Welcome ~

LUTHERAN–LCMSMESSIAH LUTHERAN CHURCH

PRESCHOOL & DAYCARE465 Pond Path, East Setauket

(631)751-1775www.messiahny.com

Rev. Charles Bell - PastorWe welcome all to join us for worship & fellowship

Sunday Worship Services8:15am, 9:30am & 11:00amSunday School at 9:30 am

NYS Certi� ed Preschool & Day Care ProgramPlease call for details

METHODISTBETHEL AFRICAN METHODIST

EPISCOPAL CHURCH33 Christian Ave/ PO2117

E. Setauket NY 11733 (631)941 3581Rev. Gregory L. Leonard–Pastor

Sunday Worship 10:30 amAdult Sunday School 9:30 am

Lectionary Reading and Prayer Wed. 12 noonGospel Choir Tues. 8 pm

Praise Choir and Youth Choir 3rd and 4th Fri. 6:30 pm

COMMACK UNITED METHODIST CHURCH486 Townline Road, CommackChurch Office: (631)499–7310

Fax: (631) 858–0596www.commack–umc.org • mail@commack–umc.org

Rev. Linda Bates–Stepe, Pastor

SETAUKET UNITED METHODIST CHURCH160 Main Street, Corner of 25A and Main Street

East Setauket • (631) 941–4167Rev. Sandra B. Mantz, Pastor

www.setauketumc.org • [email protected] Worship Service & Church School 10 am

10 am Worship with Holy CommunionMary & Martha Circle (Women’s Ministry)

monthly on 2nd Tuesday at noonAdult Bible Study Sunday 8 am

Prayer Group and Bible Study at the Church Wednesdays 10 am

PRESBYTERIANSETAUKET PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH

5 Caroline Avenue~ On the Village Green ~

(631) 941–4271 • www.setauketpresbyterian.orgEmail: [email protected]. Mary Barrett Speers, Pastor

Rev. Kate Jones Calone, Assistant PastorJoin us in Worship at 9:30 am

Church School (PreK-7th Grade) at 9:45 amAdult Christian Education Classes at 11 am:

Service Opportunities:Open Door Ministry Open House : November 8th

Furnishing homes ... Finding hopeOpenings for MWF Preschool 4’s program 2015–2016 Janet Craig, Director

All are welcome to join this vibrant community for worship, music (voice and bell choirs), mission (local, national and international), and fellowship. Call the church

o� ce or visit our website for current information on church activities. SPC is a More Light Presbyterian Church and part of the Covenant Network of Presbyterians

working toward a church as generous and just as God’s grace.

UNITARIAN UNIVERSALISTUNITARIAN UNIVERSALIST

FELLOWSHIP AT STONY BROOK380 Nicolls Road • between Rte 347 & Rte 25A

(631) 751–0297 • www.uufsb.org • offi [email protected]. Margaret H. Allen

([email protected])Sunday Service: 10:30 am

Religious Education at UUFSB: Unitarian Universalism accepts wisdom from many sources and o� ers non-dogmatic religious education for

children from 3-18 to foster ethical and spiritual development and knowl-edge of world religions. Classes Sunday mornings at 10:30 am. Childcare

for little ones under three. Senior High Youth Group meetings Sunday evenings. Registration is ongoing.

For more information: [email protected].

UNITARIAN UNIVERSALIST FELLOWSHIP OF HUNTINGTON

109 Brown’s Road, Huntington, NY 11743631–427–9547

www.uu� .orgRev. G. Jude Geiger, Minister

(minister@uufh .org)Starr Austin, religious educator (dreuufh @gmail.com)

Whoever you are, whomever you love, wherever you are on your life’s journey, you are welcome here.

Our services o� er a progressive, non-creedal message with room for spiritual seekers.

Services and Religious Education each Sunday at 10:30 amYouth Group, Lifespan Religious Education for Adults,

Adult and Children’s ChoirsParticipants in the Huntington Interfaith Housing Initiative

Find us on Facebook and Twitter

UNITYUNITY CHURCH OF HEALING LIGHT

203 East Pulaski Rd., Huntington Sta. (631) 385–7180

www.unityhuntingtonny.orgRev. Saba Mchunguzi

Unity Church of Healing Light is committed to helping people unfold their Christ potential to transform their lives and build

spiritual community through worship, education, prayer and service.Sunday Worship & Church School 11:00 a.m.

Wednesday Night Prayer Service 7:30 p.m.Sign Language Interpreter at Sunday Service

©145717

Religious D irectory

To be listed in the Religious Directory,

please call 751–7663

To SubScribe: PleaSe call 631.751.7744 or SubScribe online aT www.TbrnewSMeDia.coM


By Carolann ryan

Fashions in Flowers has been on the cutting edge of floral design for the past 60 years, and this Northport business shows no signs of stopping any time soon.

Current owner Debi Triola serves the community well, providing flowers from around the world for any occasion while also giving back to the village that sup-ports her as much as possible. For this reason, she is a Times of Smithtown newspaper Person of the Year.

Triola, a lifelong Northport resident, has been the owner of Fashions in Flow-ers on Fort Salonga Road for 11 years, al-though the shop has been running since 1955. Among the many hats she’s worn over the years, she is the current director of the Northport Chamber of Commerce.

“I am definitely lucky to live here,” Triola said.

Barbara Sorelle, a colleague of Triola’s at the Northport Chamber of Commerce who works for Visiting Nurse Service & Hospice of Suffolk, said Northport is just as lucky to have Triola.

“Debi is a wonderful, caring person and gives so much to our community,” Sorelle said in a phone interview. “As members of the board of trustees of the Northport Chamber of Commerce, it has been a pleasure to work with her over the years.”

It is about more than selling flowers for this local business, according to Tri-ola. She said she always keeps the shop busy by getting involved in Northport events as much as possible.

“Part of the job as a small business is to help the community,” Triola said. “It is

a given, giving back.”And give back she does. From some-

thing as small as donating flowers for school district functions, like Northport High School’s Relay for Life, to helping organize events such as the Northport Farmers’ Market and Tuesday Family Fun Nights in the village, Fashions in Flowers makes sure to leave their mark at many community gatherings. The business has worked with local organi-zations like the Cow Harbor Warriors, The Northport American Legion Post 694 and the Visiting Nurse Service & Hospice of Suffolk.

“Debi Triola is so generous to our community,” said Susan Modelewski, a cancer survivor involved with organiz-ing the Northport Relay for Life event.

“For years, Debi has donated corsages to the survivors who attend Northport’s Relay for Life survivor reception and she is also a contributor to [the] St. Charles Hospital Auxiliary Northport Chapter. Debi is one of the many reasons why Northport is such a great place to live.”

Fashions in Flowers also supports lo-cal artisans, such as the Northport Can-dle Kitchen, by selling their products at the shop.

With the holiday season quickly ap-proaching, Fashions in Flowers has

worked hard to spread holiday cheer. Re-cently, the staff volunteered to decorate the intensive care unit of Huntington Hospital and participated in Northport’s annual tree-lighting ceremony, which includes the annual leg lamp-lighting at Northport Hardware Co. and a visit from Santa himself.

“That is what I love about Northport,” Triola said, when asked why she cares so much about her hometown. “We are a tight-knit community here. We all help each other, whatever we can do.”

Flower shop plants deep roots in local community

Top right photo from Debi Triola; photos by Carolann RyanClockwise, the front entrance of Fashions in Flowers on Fort Salonga road, Debi Triola smiles with a floral arrangement, bouquet-displays inside Fashions in Flowers.


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County representatives for some help, as he had become driven to clean up his neighborhood. A year later, Mikell has rallied together a small group of determined volunteers and has part-nered with Suffolk County’s Adopt-A-Highway Program to secure cleanups on Crooked Hill Road up to its inter-section with Commack Road.

The unofficial bus stop now has a white bench and a brown garbage can marked “7 Cents Club of Com-mack” placed alongside it.

“This is something that I thought would be a nice thing to do for the community,” Mikell said. “I’m just doing my part, [and] doing what I can as opposed to not doing something. I’m not marching and champion-ing causes and all that stuff, but this is something I could put my hands around, and maybe make a difference. Abraham Lincoln once said ‘I like to see a man proud of the place in which he lives …’ and that’s on the letterhead for the Seven Cents Club.”

The place in which Mikell lives has not ignored his efforts. Suffolk County Legislator Leslie Kennedy (R-Nesconset), who was among those first

contacted by Mikell, sees him as “the epitome of a good citizen.”

“He takes a bad situation and makes it better,” Kennedy said. “In-stead of sitting around doing noth-ing in retirement, this man created something. He called the county to get the garbage picked up, he dealt with the town and he did everything that was needed. Who wants to live in ‘pigginess?’ I don’t think he had any other reason for doing it, other than to make something better. We’ll never stop people from littering, [but] truthfully, the difference be-tween last week and the end of what was done this week is noticeable. Re-ally noticeable.”

With volunteers from Dix Hills, Centereach and Hauppauge, there are hopes that this group will in-spire more towns to have their own Ed Mikell and Seven Cents Club, but it won’t be easy.

“That’s a big undertaking,” said Ed Feinberg, a Commack resident and club volunteer. “That would require a lot of time and effort. If I’ve walked away from this with one piece of knowledge it’s that it’s not easy, work-ing your way through the red tape of county government and getting cor-roboration and information, but Ed’s done it. He’s done it very well.”

MIKELLContinued from page A1

File photo by Alex PetroskiEd Mikell overlooks one of his first sites as part of the Seven Cents Club.


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the times of smithtown - december 31, 2015

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