FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

First Meeting for Long Island Chaptyer of Interior Design Society Set
 
Mount Sinai, New York – May, 2007 – The first meeting for the formation of the Long Island Chapter of the Interior Design Society is scheduled for Monday, June 18, 2007, from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m., at the Mount Sinai High School, North Country Road, Mount Sinai, New York.  The national chapter coordinator for the Interior Design Society will be attending with a presentation and to explain all the benefits of membership in the Interior Design Society, both nationally and locally.  

Membership in the Interior Design Society is open to those in the residential interior decorating trade.  Membership applications will be accepted that night.

For more information please contact Kathy Passarette of Creative Home Expressions at (631) 987-3097 or kathyp@creativehomeexpressions.com

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Contact: Kathy Passarette
631-987-3097;
kathyp@creativehomeexpressions.com

Firefighters and Professional Comedians take the stage for the 8th Annual NY’s Bravest Night of Comedy  to benefit the Thomas Elsasser Scholarship Fund for Widows and Children of FDNY members who die outside the line of duty.

Queens, NY May 18th 2007 — 8pm at Queensboro College, 10 Funny NYC Firefighters along with professional comedians take the stage for the 8th Annual NY’s Bravest Night of Comedy to benefit the Thomas Elsasser Scholarship Fund for widows and children of FDNY members who die outside the line of duty. Comedian Mike Bower hosts and Bobby Collins is headlining the show.

The Thomas Elsasser fund is for widows and children of firefighters who die non line of duty. When a firefighter makes the supreme sacrifice while working his family will be taken care of financially by the city. If a firefighters just passes away the pain and suffering are the same but the benefits are drastically reduced. Back in 1997 Firefighter John Halverson was jogging on the track at Centereach HS when a deranged teenager walked up to him and shot John in the chest. At the time of his death John Halverson had 2 years on the job and his wife Randie was pregnant with twins. This fund will assure that children like John & Randie Halverson’s twin girls and many others like them will get a good education.

web page-  www.BravestNightofComedy.com

Event Information:
Friday May 18th @ 8pm
8th annual NY’s Bravest Night of Comedy
Queensboro College Performing Arts Center
222-05 56th Avenue, Bayside NY 11364
Tickets $25 tax deductible donation
Box Office (718) 631-6311

Hosted by Comedian Mike Bower Sirius Maxim Radio
Featuring New York City Firefighters Billy Bingo ret L 126, Steve Alleva Ladder 7, Adam Lake Ladder 5,  Jimmy Lawrence Ladder 126, Kevin Seaman Ladder 4, Jarrett Kpwtorski Ladder 135, Brian Finley Ladder 7, Matt Susco Engine 331, and Ed Sullivan ret Engine 211 who portrays Billy Warren on “Rescue Me.”
Headlining is Bobby Collins VH1, HBO, Comedy Cnetral

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Event contact information
www.BravestNightofComedy.com
Billy Bingo  nycbillybingo@aol.com

Thomas Elsasser Fund contact number 212 683-4UFA
Sheila Pettit 
204 East 23rd street
New York NY 10010

LIPA Observes Electric Safety Month with a Series of Special Educational Events For Children and Adults

Uniondale, NY - May 4, 2007 - Nationally, every year hundreds of people are killed and more than 10,000 people are injured from electricity related incidents in the home and on the job, according to industry statistics. Most of these deaths and injuries could be prevented with an increased awareness of electric safety.

In its ongoing effort to heighten public awareness of electric safety, the Long Island Power Authority (LIPA) is conducting its annual series of safety demonstrations and public events in May to underscore the importance of National Electric Safety Month.

“Annually, there are tragic reminders nation-wide that it is essential to begin teaching children early on about the importance of electric safety,” said LIPA’s CEO and President Richard M. Kessel. “LIPA recognizes that people of all ages must be mindful of the importance of electric safety in their homes, schools, workplaces and in the outdoor
environment.”

Saturday May 12th and May 19th, at 11:00AM LIPA and the Long Island Children’s Museum Teach Electric Safety.

Every family benefits from it-from lighting our homes to powering our computers, electricity is a central part of our lives. Parents and kids are invited to meet veteran electrical worker Rookie Gilmartin, discover how electricity arrives in your home and learn safe electricity practices.  This is a fun and important refresher for parents and a
great introduction to the safe uses of electricity for kids. Ages: 5 and up. Free with museum admission.

Tuesday May 15, 2007, LIPA Electric Contact Demonstration Event.

LIPA recognizes the importance of sending a strong message to children and adults about the hazards of electric line contact. To underscore this message, a simulated contact demonstration will take place at 10:00 AM to 2:00 PM, at the Lineman’s Academy in Hicksville. Students from local area schools will be on hand to view the demonstration. This dramatic demonstration will show what happens when various items such as mylar balloons, tree limbs and other objects come in contact with high voltage lines. The results are very impressive.

Wednesday May 16, 2007, The Lineman’s Academy Safety Demonstration.

LIPA and the I.B.E.W. Local 1049 will conduct an Electric Safety Day at the union’s Long Island headquarters in Hauppauge from 10:30AM to 3:30PM.  Local area grade school students will learn what it is like to work on electric lines, ride in a bucket truck and use equipment just like the men and women who maintain LIPA’s electric transmission and distribution system. LIPA and I.B.E.W. Local 1049 have also arranged for a variety of interactive exhibits to teach students about electric safety.  In addition to various table displays depicting the do’s and don’ts of electric safety, children will be given an opportunity to use a lineman’s “hot stick” to place rubber safety sleeving on a non-electrified line and go into the bucket of a lineman’s bucket truck for a “lift” up into the air. (Note: No live electric lines are used during these demonstrations.)

Wednesday May 23, 2007, Annual Electric Safety Poster Contest Awards Ceremony

Young people learn by doing. To make electric safety fun, LIPA invited all third, fourth and fifth grade students in the LIPA service territory to participate in LIPA’s ninth Annual Electric Safety Poster Contest. Twelve Grand Winners will be selected, and their winning posters will be featured on LIPA’s Web site. Additionally, LIPA CEO and President, Richard M. Kessel will present each Grand Winner with their poster mounted in an illuminated frame and a $100 gift card at a special awards ceremony at the LIPA Corporate Office in Uniondale, NY. And, as a way to help others learn, all winning posters will be featured on electric safety book covers that will be printed and  distributed to schools and school children throughout the LIPA service territory.

Throughout the year on LIPA’s Web site www.lipower.org, students and teachers can discover “The Electric Universe” which is an excellent way for children and the entire family to learn more about electricity and electric safety.

The section features more than 400 pages of information on electric energy for students of all ages, as well as tutorials that teachers can use in the classroom.

New on the section this year are some fun-filled interactive games that can teach children about how electricity gets to one’s home as well as some “Sliding Puzzles” that are real brainteasers. Thousands of people visit the “Electric Universe” each year and it is available 24/7.

Tips for Keeping Children Safe around Electricity
* Teach children to respect electricity.
* Keep balloons and kites away from power lines.
* Never put fingers or objects in electrical outlets.
* Plastic outlet guards are a good idea if you have young children.
* Never climb power poles, transmission towers or fences around electric substations.
* Teach children to stay clear of all electrical installations and play in areas away from power lines.
* Watch for power lines when you use a ladder, prune trees, clean a pool, work on a roof, carry long tools or pipes, dig in the yard, install or remove TV antennas.
* Worn or damaged electric cords can shock you.
* Check cords in your home and workshop regularly for signs of wear before using.
* Choose power tools with three pronged plugs and the Underwriters Laboratory (UL) tag.
* Keep appliances away from water in bathtubs, sinks, puddles and wet hands.
* Light bulbs and other appliances can get very hot.
* Keep things that could burn away from light bulbs, portable heaters,
and other appliances.
* Never overload electrical outlets.
* Never use water on an electrical fire.

Follow this checklist to insure the safety of your pets!
* Keep electrical cords away from puppies and kittens, they may chew through them and receive a severe shock.
* Make sure nightlights are completely plugged into a wall outlet. A partially exposed prong could become a hazard for a curious puppy or kitten.
* Keep halogen torchiere lamps away from play areas for pets and children. Some of these bulbs can reach temperatures of 1,000 degrees. Knocked over by a playful pet, they could easily cause a fire.
* Keep appliances near sinks, bathtubs, and pools, a safe distance away from the water source. Playful pets can knock radios, curling irons and other items into the water, creating a dangerous situation.
* Try to discourage cats and dogs from curling up for a nap behind warm computer equipment. Pets need to be kept away from all electrical connections.
* Bring pets indoors during lightning storms. Wind, rain and lighting can bring down live power lines, presenting a hazard for pets that are outdoors.
* Always keep aroma-therapy candles away from places where a curious kitten or puppy could reach.

For more information about electric safety, please visit LIPA’s Web site at www.lipower.org.

LIPA, a non-profit municipal electric utility, owns the retail electric Transmission and Distribution System on Long Island and provides electric service to more than 1.1 million customers in Nassau and Suffolk counties and the Rockaway Peninsula in Queens.  LIPA is the 3rd largest municipal electric utility in the nation in terms of customers served and the 6th largest in terms of electricity delivered. In 2006, LIPA outperformed all other overhead electric utilities in New York State in all three major reliability categories. LIPA does not provide natural gas service or own any on-island generating assets. More information about LIPA can be found online at: www.lipower.org.

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LIPA Contact Information:
Media Relations: (516) 719-9892
Media Pager: (516) 525-LIPA
media.relations@lipower.org

LIPA News Center
http://www.lipower.org/newscenter

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:

SENIOR FUNDING GROUP SEES 61% RISE IN REVERSE MORTGAGE ORIGINATION IN NY METRO AREA IN 2006

ELDERLY PARENTS HELPING CHILDREN FINANCIALLY; HOME REPAIR; RISING PROPERTY TAXES ARE CHIEF REASONS FOR RISE

HICKSVILLE, NY — Senior Funding Group has become New York State’s largest approved licensed broker originating reverse mortgages for senior citizens in 2006, closing more than 233 loans for an aggregate value of $84 million, an increase of 61-percent over the prior year. The company said that the chief reasons for the dramatic rise was that elderly homeowners needed the funds to help their children financially, pay rising property tax bills, and for simple home repairs.

According to Senior Funding executives, nearly 40-percent the families originating loans last year said there were doing so to provide financial assistance to children who had lost work, gotten divorced or had health problems of their own. The other large category of borrowers –33-percent– originated reverse loans to update their homes, renovating a kitchen, adding a new roof or buying new furniture.

“When we entered the reverse mortgage business three years ago, we were originating loans for seniors in what I would call more desperate straits. Maybe they couldn’t pay heating or electric bills, or they needed the funds to repair a roof,” said Senior Fund Group President and CEO Charles See linger, Jr. “Today, we are seeing more of the decisions to get a reverse mortgage being driven by quality of life issues, like wanting to help children, update a home, or maybe buy a new car.”

In 2006, there were 77,000 reverse mortgages originated nationwide, up 66-percent from the prior year, according to the National Reverse Mortgage Lenders Association. New York trails California, Florida, Arizona and Nevada, who are some of the most popular states for reverse mortgages.

The increasing popularity of reverse mortgages nationwide has been led in part, by dramatic appreciation of residential home values and federal legislation that protects senior citizens from overzealous lenders. In the New York Metropolitan Area alone, many homes have quadrupled in value in the past 20 years, making it the single largest asset for most families. Meanwhile, cash flow for many senior citizens has been squeezed as fewer families have corporate pensions, healthcare costs rise and property taxes escalate in the New York metropolitan area.

“In today’s economic climate, property taxes and prescription drugs can tap out Social Security payments alone,” added See linger. “But to compound the financial challenges for many seniors, the have small or non-existent pensions, and instead of relying on children to help supplement their needs, they need to financially help their children. So when the roof needs to be replaced, or they need a new car, they do not have the financial resources to tap into.”

See linger said the biggest change in the reverse mortgage business over the past three years has been that children have become more comfortable letting their parents take these types of loans.

A reverse mortgage is a loan for people 62 years or older to borrow against the equity in their home, without having to sell, give up title or take on new monthly mortgage payments. It provides tax-free funds in a lump sum, fixed monthly payments, line of credit, or combination of these. There are no credit, income or health requirements to qualify. A reverse mortgage is repaid upon the death of the last spouse living in the home. When the home is sold, the loan amount, any accrued interest and fees are deducted from the sale price.

Founded in 2003, Senior Funding Group is a division of Fast Track Funding of Hicksville, NY, one of New York State’s largest licensed mortgage brokers. Senior Funding has a group of seven reverse mortgage specialists, some of who are attorneys and financial planners, who can assist families determine if a reverse mortgage is right for them. To learn more about reverse mortgages, please visit www.seniorfundinggroup.com or call 1-866-WeReverse (1-866-937-3837).

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Senior Funding Group
247 W. Old Country Road
Hicksville, NY 11801

Media Contacts:

Jerry Schranz
Steinreich Communications
201-498-1600 x 103
 

For Immediate Release

The Lupus Alliance announces a new College Scholarship to benefit those whose lives have been touched by lupus.

Bellmore, NY – The Lupus Alliance of America LI/Q Affiliate which has been helping those with lupus and their families in the local area since 1955, has established their first college scholarship program; The Maxine Manara Memorial Scholarship Program. Funded by an extremely generous grant of $25,000 from the McCarthy Foundation, and named after a longtime dedicated staff member of the Alliance, this college scholarship is something the Alliance is proud and excited to offer.

“There are a lot of college scholarships out there for disabilities and diseases, but not many for lupus”, stated JoAnn Quinn, Executive Director of the Lupus Alliance LI/Q, “We are so proud to offer this program and help those with lupus in a way we have never been able to do before. The McCarthy Foundation grant has made this dream a possibility for us, and we are extremely thankful; and we are so pleased to award these scholarships under Maxine’s name. We wanted her to be remembered for all she did for those with lupus.”

The scholarship is open to anyone who has lupus and to minors under 21 whose parent has lupus. Applicants must live in Nassau, Suffolk or Queens and meet the financial need requirements. The student must be already attending or has been accepted to an accredited College, University, or Trade School and is working toward a degree. The minimum scholarship award is $500, and the deadline for 2007 applications is June 1st.  Further details on the scholarship are available on the Alliance’s website at www.lupusliqueens.org.  

John Vander-Putten, board member of the Alliance and chair of the Maxine Manara Memorial Scholarship Committee and the grandfather of an 18 year old granddaughter that was been fighting lupus since she was 12 stated, “Lupus, a devastating autoimmune disease that has no known cure, tries to take so much from the people who suffer from it; it is just nice to be able to counter that by offering something to make someone with lupus feel good and achieve one of their dreams.” 

Executive Director JoAnn Quinn, added, “With at least 2 Million Americans who have lupus, everybody loves somebody with lupus. So we hope everyone will pass this information on to the somebody they love with lupus and encourage them to apply today.” If you would like to apply for a Maxine Manara Memorial Scholarship or if you wish to help fund this wonderful program please call The Lupus Alliance of LI/Q at 516-783-3370 or e-mail info@lupusliqueens.org. 
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Contact:
J.C. VanderPutten-Bonner
Director of Programs and Media
Lupus Alliance of America LI/Q Affiliate
516-783-3370

HBO Documentary Films Presents 51 BIRCH STREET

Do we ever really know our parents?

And if we were suddenly given the chance to know all about them, would we take it?

These are the primal human questions at the heart of the documentary feature film 51 BIRCH STREET. Filmmaker Doug Block had every reason to believe his parent’s 54-year marriage was a good one. So he isn’t prepared when a few months after his mother’s unexpected death, his father phones to announce that he’s moving to Florida to live with his secretary from 40 years before.
 
Always close to his mother and equally distant from his father, he’s stunned and intrigued.  When the long-time family home is sold, Doug realizes that he has only a few short weeks before his father will be gone, and that a lifetime of memories will be packed away forever. He grabs his camera and heads to suburban Long Island determined to learn more about his parents’ marriage and confront this stranger who is his father.
 
Through probing conversations and the surprising discovery of 35 years of his mother’s daily diaries, he comes to terms with two parents who are far more complex and troubled than he ever imagined.
 
Both funny and heartbreaking, 51 BIRCH STREET is the first person account of filmmaker Doug Block’s unpredictable journey through a whirlwind of dramatic life-changing events: the death of his mother, the uncovering of decades of family secrets through his mother’s diaries, and the ensuing reconciliation with his 83-year-old father. What begins as Doug’s own intimate, autobiographical story, soon evolves into a broader meditation on the universal themes of love, marriage, fidelity and the mystery of family.
 
51 BIRCH STREET spans 60 years and three generations, and weaves together hundreds of faded snapshots, 8mm home movies and two decades of verité footage. The result is a timeless tale of what can happen when our most fundamental assumptions about family are suddenly called into question.

51 BIRCH STREET will premiere on HBO/Cinemax on May 8, 2007 @ 7:00pm

www.51birchstreet.com
Running Time: 88 minutes

** The New York Times lead film critic, A.O. Scott, and Jim Emerson of the Chicago Sun-Times and RogerEbert.com, named 51 Birch Street one of their Top Ten Films of 2006 **

 ** The National Board of Review, the Boston Society of Film Critics and Rolling Stone Magazine named 51 Birch Street one of the outstanding documentaries of the year ** 

** Featured on Ebert & Roeper’s year-end roundup of the Ten Best Films of 2006 (the only documentary on the list) **