Walt Whitman Birthplace State Historic Site and Interpretive Center honored

(Long Island, NY) Assemblyman Chad Lupinacci (R,C,WF,I-Huntington Station) recently presented an Assembly Proclamation to the Walt Whitman Birthplace State Historic Site and Interpretive Center. The proclamation honored the center’s efforts to preserve and promote the works of Walt Whitman.

Assemblyman Chad Lupinacci presents an Assembly proclamation to Walt Whitman Birthplace State Historic Site and Interpretive Center President William Walter, Ph.D., Executive Director Cynthia Shor and Vice President Thomas Wysmuller.

“Walt Whitman is one of the most significant American poets, who profoundly impacted and shaped our nation’s literature and culture, and influenced many poets of the 20th Century,” said Lupinacci. “Thanks to the efforts of those at the Walt Whitman Birthplace Association, this impact continues to be felt today by an untold number of poets, authors, professors and businesspeople. I want to thank the members of the organization for their hard work and dedication, and wish them luck as they continue to preserve and promote the legacy of this great Long Islander.”

(RIVERHEAD, NY) East End Arts is pleased to announce the 2013 recipient of the Frances Ligon Memorial Scholarship. The scholarship was inaugurated in the Fall of 2007 in honor of the memory of Mrs. Frances Ligon, who served on the Board of Directors for the East End Arts from 2005 to 2007. She was a well-known advocate for the arts and for youth education throughout the East End community, as well as avid gospel singer since childhood, performing regularly as a soloist and as a member of the East End Arts’ Harvest Gospel Choir for 20 years. Those who had the honor of knowing her and of hearing her sing will always remember her ability to lift the spirit with her soulful voice.

Dorian Joseph, Viola and Percussion Student and 2013 Recipient of the Frances Ligon Memorial Scholarship

East End Arts is delighted to honor Mrs. Ligon’s memory by naming Dorian Joseph as this year’s scholarship recipient. Dorian is a 13-year old eighth-grade student freshman student at Southampton Intermediate School and is a National Junior Honor Society student. Dorian plays viola in the school’s music strings orchestra program, which he has been involved with since the age of 7, and has been a student at the East End Arts School since 2011. At the East End Arts School, he is currently studying the viola with Nicholas Orifici and drums with Stan Wright. He has participated in NYSSMA, LISFA and HMEA. Dorian has participated in East End Arts’ Summer Student Orchestra Program, which partners with the prestigious Perlman Music Program, and he has also been the principal drummer at the East End Arts Summer Music Camp for the past two years. He recently started playing the drums for the band at his church. In his spare time, Dorian enjoys listening and dancing to music, playing video games, reading comic books, and playing sports. He also enjoys indoor/outdoor play involving parkour (free running).

East End Arts congratulates Dorian on this special honor and for all of his hard work and dedication to his music education.

Past recipients of this award are: José Alvizures (2012); Brandon Boardman (2010 & 2011); Nazrus Halsey (2009); Christian Hibbert (2008.)

The East End Arts School has 200 students each semester studying voice, piano, drums, violin, guitar and orchestral instruments, as well as music composition and recording. Currently, the School is able to provide scholarships for many deserving students, but many more are on a waiting list.

For more information about the East End Arts School’s music program, or how to contribute to the East End Arts School’s Music Scholarship fund, please contact the East End Arts School: 631-369-2171, or visit www.eastendarts.org to learn more.

East End Arts, established in 1972, is a 501(c)3 not-for-profit arts organization, and operates a School of the Arts, an Art Gallery, and presents a variety of events and programs to promote the arts year-round. Proceeds from all events, sales, classes, donations, and memberships benefit the mission and commitment to building and enriching our community through the arts by way of education, support, advocacy, and inspiration.

(Rockville Centre, NY) Each year, Catholic Health Services (CHS) seeks nominations from its staff for the system’s Patrick J. Scollard Award for Leadership. This year’s winner of CHS’s highest honor is

Patricia Fogarty, division director for CHS’s Maryhaven Center of Hope, where she has been on staff for more than 35 years. Chosen from among colleagues across CHS, Fogarty was recognized at the system’s 10th annual leadership conference, held at the DeMatteis Center in Greenvale.

(L-R) CHS’s Chairman of the Board Richard J.J. Sullivan, Jr., Scollard finalist Arlene Costello, RN, Maryhaven Center of Hope President and CEO Lewis Grossman, Scollard finalist Bonnie Morales, RN, President and CEO Alan Guerci, MD, Scollard winner Patricia Fogarty, Good Samaritan Executive Vice President and Chief Administrative Officer Nancy Simmons, St. Catherine Executive Vice President and Chief Administrative Officer Paul J. Rowland, former president and CEO of CHS and St. Francis Patrick J. Scollard.

“Patricia is committed to the organization and to helping people. She has been described by her colleagues as someone who makes people feel important, significantly valued and appreciated,” said CHS President and Chief Executive Officer Alan Guerci, MD. He added, “Patricia embraces the demand for new, original programs and has helped oversee the expansion of quality programs with unfailing enthusiasm. As such, she is a well-known and respected innovator among colleagues in other agencies and New York state.”

A lifelong resident of Huntington, Fogarty is a certified rehabilitation counselor and licensed mental health counselor. She is a member of the Long Island Behavioral Health Coalition and the New York State Rehabilitation Association, Inc. A parishioner at St. Patrick Church in Huntington, Fogarty and her husband, John, assist with Pre-Cana marriage preparation. Also, she is a member of the Parish Financial Committee, a Eucharistic Minister and team captain for the Huntington Interfaith Homeless Initiative.

One of the two leading finalists for the Patrick J. Scollard Award is Arlene Costello, RN, director, Maternal Child Nursing Services at Good Samaritan Hospital Medical Center. For more than 30 years, Costello has demonstrated true leadership and vision. Her steady guidance and mentorship have consistently enhanced patient outcomes. The retired captain, Nurse Corps, U.S. Navy Reserve, supported a team-building initiative that enhanced communication throughout Good Samaritan’s maternity services. Costello lives in Mastic with her husband, Tommy.

The other leading finalist for this notable honor is St. Catherine of Siena Medical Center’s Infection Control Coordinator Bonnie Morales, RN. Morales, who has been with the hospital since 1983, researches and attends local and statewide meetings, in addition to those organized by CHS, and then develops successful programs. She will graduate in May 2014 from St. Joseph’s College in Patchogue with an MBA in health care management. Morales lives in Selden with her husband, Frank, and has two sons, Kristofer and Brandon.

Catholic Health Services (CHS) is an integrated system encompassing some of the region’s finest health and human services agencies. With six acute care hospitals, three nursing homes, a home health agency, hospice, a community-based agency for persons with special needs and a regional lab, CHS’s high standards have resulted in a nearly 24% market share.

DDI provides services to children and adults with developmental disabilities each year

(Long Island, NY) Assemblyman Chad Lupinacci (R,C,WF,I-Huntington Station) recently visited students at the Developmental Disabilities Institute (DDI) and read Friends by Eric Carle to students in the Starting Early Program. The organization provides high-quality services including day programs, residential programs and more to over 5,000 children and adults with autism and other developmental disabilities.

Assemblyman Chad Lupinacci reads Friends to students during his visit to DDI.

“It was a pleasure to meet with the staff at DDI again and spend some time reading to the students,” said Lupinacci. “The staff, researchers and care givers at the institute provide the very best services and are truly committed to improving the lives of those with autism and other developmental disabilities. The students were truly a joy to spend time with, and I want to thank the staff and administration at DDI for being so welcoming during my visit.”

DDI was founded in 1961 by a small group of parents determined to find a better way to address the special education and therapeutic needs of their children. For more information on the organization, the services it provides or how you can support its efforts, visit http://www.ddiny.org/.

(Long Island, NY) Suffolk County Legislator Jay Schneiderman (I-Montauk) has chosen of Westhampton as his appointee to the Suffolk County Women’s Advisory Commission. Mrs. Laube brings over 25 years of experience as the Executive Director of Human Understanding Growth Services Inc. (HUGS). HUGS Inc. is a non-profit organization that has been serving the youth and communities of Suffolk County for over 30 years.

Suffolk County Legislator Jay Schneiderman and HUGS Executive Director Kym Laube Mrs. Kym Laube brings over 25 years of experience as the Executive Director of Human Understanding Growth Services Inc. (HUGS)

HUGS programs provide individuals, families, schools and communities with prevention education strategies aimed at reducing high-risk behaviors among youth while fostering positive attitudes to improve all areas of life. Kym’s mission has been to educate, inspire and empower youth and their families to make healthy choices, improve relationships, and to change their communities.

“I’m proud to be appointing Kym Laube to the Suffolk County Women’s Advisory Commission,” said Legislator Schneiderman. “Kym’s commitment to improving the lives of Suffolk County youth extends beyond her HUGS office and can be seen in the many leadership roles she holds,” said Legislator Schneiderman. “There is more work to be done and I believe Kym will be a great asset towards that common cause.”

Annually, Kym speaks to over 5,000 community members throughout Suffolk County, New York State and the nation. Kym is the President of the National Association of Teen Institutes and the Quality Consortium of Suffolk County. She is a member of the NYS Association of Substance Abuse Professionals, Prevention Committee, NYS Public Policy Task Force and Suffolk County Partners in Prevention. Kym is also a member of the East End Prevention and Awareness Committee and the East End Youth Leadership Committee.

“It is my sincere honor and privilege to have been appointed by Suffolk County Legislator Jay Schneiderman to serve on the Suffolk County Women’s Advisory Commission, said Mrs. Laube. As Executive Director of Human Understanding Growth Services, I have spent my career focused on the provision of programs that empower youth to make positive life choices and to create leaders in their respective communities. I view this appointment as a natural extension of that work. I firmly believe that providing women in this county with more education, opportunities, and networks advances them as individuals, mothers, mentors, and community members.”

(East Meadow, NY) On Saturday, December 14th, representatives of human rights, civil liberties, and religious organizations will join formerly incarcerated people and family members of those in solitary confinement at a vigil in front of the Nassau County jail to bear witness against the routine use of extreme and prolonged isolation. Advocates will also demand that the County comply with the judicial decision ordering the establishment of the Board of Visitors oversight committee.

Billed as a “Teach-in and Speak-out,” the vigil will feature advocates from the New York Campaign for Alternatives to Solitary Confinement (CAIC) as well as individuals who have been directly affected by the use of solitary confinement. The vigil will conclude with the words of people currently in solitary, read by representatives of the National Religious Campaign Against Torture (NRCAT).

According to CAIC, New York’s prison and jails use solitary and other forms of isolated confinement far too broadly and routinely, and for periods of time that far exceed the 15 day-limit recommended by the UN Special Rapporteur on Torture. New York holds people in 23-hour-a-day isolation at rates significantly above the national average. On any given day, there are nearly 4,500 people, disproportionately people of color, in New York State prisons who are in special housing units (SHU) and thousands more locked down in their own cells.

The vigil will also call on the County to establish the jail oversight board mandated by the county charter. After months of attempting to work with the County to create the long overdue board, the New York Civil Liberties Union sued County Executive Ed Mangano seeking a judgment ordering the county to comply with the charter mandate. In March, a judge ordered the County to establish the board within ninety days. Although Mr. Mangano made his nominations, the County Legislature, despite calls from advocates and families, has failed for over 8 months to put the issue on an agenda for discussion and a vote.

• WHAT:  “Confronting Solitary Confinement as Torture”
• WHEN: Saturday, December 14, 2013, 12:00 PM – 12:45 PM
• WHERE:  100 Carman Avenue, across the street from the Nassau County Jail
• WHO: Rev. Paul Johnson, Senior Minister, UU Congregation at Shelter Rock, Charles McAlister, Advocate, Second Chance Re-Entry Program, Peace Poet Luke; Peace Poets Collective, Janet Susin, National Alliance for Mental Illness, Jason E. Starr, New York Civil Liberties Union

Operations Center Open at 7:00am Due to Winter Weather Advisory

(Yaphank, NY) Due to the Winter Weather Advisory issued for Long Island by the National Weather Service, the Suffolk County Emergency Operations Center (EOC) will open at 7:00am tomorrow, December 14th staffed with Emergency Response personnel.

Suffolk County Department of Public Works will monitor County road conditions and begin salting roads when appropriate to allow for the least amount of snow accumulation.

For non-emergency Police calls in Suffolk County, call 631-852-2677. For emergencies call 911. Please do not call a 911 or other emergency telephone lines unless you are in need of assistance with an immediate physical or medical emergency.

(Oceanside, N.Y.) For the eighth consecutive year, South Nassau Communities Hospital Home Care has earned a spot in the prestigious HomeCare Elite™ listing of the top 25% of home health care providers in the United States. The listing is based on a collection of performance measures including quality of care, quality improvement, patient experience, process measure implementation, and financial performance.

“South Nassau’s ranking as a Top 500 Agency demonstrates the enduring commitment of our staff to work together to provide superior care and service for patients and their loved ones,” said Nancy Helenek, RN, administrative director of the care continuum at South Nassau.

“At South Nassau, we believe that the true mark of great care and service is to be consistent. Certainly, eight years and counting of service excellence in the delivery of quality homecare services is consistently great,” said Ruth Ragusa, RN, vice president of organizational effectiveness for South Nassau Communities Hospital.

The 2013 Home Care Elite listing, brought to the industry by National Research Corporation, parent company of OCS Home Care, and DecisionHealth, uses publicly available data from the CMS Home Health Compare and the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services Cost reports.

South Nassau Home Care offers short-term, acute care and long-term programs. The range of services provided include skilled nursing, rehabilitation services, medical social services, home health aide services, nutritional counseling and additional waived services as provided by the long-term program. Laboratory services, medical supplies and equipment and IV therapy services can be arranged through contracted vendors. In addition, it offers specialty programs such as telehealth, medication management, and a fall prevention program. Advanced wound care treatment and VAC therapy can also be provided.

South Nassau Home Health Care is licensed by the New York State Department of Health and certified to participate in Medicare, Medicaid and Blue Cross programs, as well as accredited by The Joint Commission. For more information about South Nassau Home Care, call (516) 377-5000.

South Nassau® Communities Hospital is one of the region’s largest hospitals, with 435 beds, more than 900 physicians and 3,000 employees. Located in Oceanside, NY, the hospital is an acute-care, not-for-profit teaching hospital that provides state-of-the-art care in cardiac, oncologic, orthopedic, bariatric, pain management, mental health and emergency services. In addition to its extensive outpatient specialty centers, South Nassau provides emergency and elective angioplasty and is the only hospital on Long Island with the Novalis Tx™ and Gamma Knife® radiosurgery technologies. South Nassau is a designated Stroke Center by the New York State Department of Health and Comprehensive Community Cancer Center by the American College of Surgeons and is an accredited center of the Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery Association and Quality Improvement Program.

For more information, visit www.southnassau.org.

Plaque Will Be Installed Where Addabbo-Social Security Federal Building Is Located Today

(Queens, NY) On Tuesday, December 10, Senator Joe Addabbo (D-Howard Beach), joined event hosts–Aquinas Honor Society members, their teacher, Carl Ballenas, and school administrators–at a ceremony held at Immaculate Conception School in Jamaica Estates to unveil a bronze plaque that will soon be installed by federal officials on the Joseph P. Addabbo-Social Security federal building in Jamaica. [The building is named for the late Congressman and father of the senator whose district included part of Jamaica].

The plaque marks the location of a famed colonial era inn at Parsons Blvd. and Jamaica Ave. in Jamaica, mentioned in the diary of President George Washington when he stayed overnight in 1790 while on a post-Revolutionary War tour of Long Island to thank his spies.

The students were thrilled to welcome so many distinguished guests attend the ceremony marking the site’s colonial history, the end result of months of research uncovered while gathering material to include in their previously published Arcadia book on Jamaica’s history.

Along with Senator Addabbo were Councilman-elect Rory Lancman; Wilhelmina Kelly of the DAR’s Increase Carpenter Jamaica Chapter; representatives of the federal agencies, General Services Administration and Social Security Administration; Jason Hilliard, Executive Director for Congressman Meeks; Don Capaldi, representing Congresswoman Meng; the Deputy Superintendent of Schools for the Diocese of Brooklyn; Chair Andrew Koslosky of The Josephine Foundation; Helen Day, the Richmond Hill Historical Society.

(Commack, NY) The Marty Lyons Foundation (MLF) recently held a ribbon cutting ceremony to celebrate the Grand Opening of its new national headquarters. The Foundation, established in 1982, is a not-for-profit organization dedicated to providing wishes for children diagnosed as having terminal or life-threatening illnesses. MLF is unique in that it will consider granting a second wish to a deserving child.

Pictured at The Marty Lyons Foundation’s recent Grand Opening of its new National Headquarters in Commack from left to right are: Foundation Executive Committee Vice Chairman and former NY Jets player Kenny Schroy; NYS Assemblyman Mike Fitzpatrick; Foundation Founder/President and former NY Jets player Marty Lyons; NYS Senator John Flanagan; and Suffolk County Legislator John M. Kennedy Jr.

Dignitaries, Board Members, supporters and volunteers joined Foundation Founder/Chairman and former NFL/New York Jets Star Marty Lyons at the Open House. The guest list included Foundation Executive Committee Vice Chairman and former NY Jet, Kenny Schroy; Foundation Long Island Chapter President, Peter Michalewicz; several dignitaries including NYS Assemblyman Mike Fitzpatrick, NYS Senator John Flanagan and Suffolk County Legislator John M. Kennedy Jr.

Pictured at The Marty Lyons Foundation’s recent Grand Opening of its new National Headquarters in Commack from left to right are: Evan Bloom, Sir Speedy of Westbury and Foundation supporter; The Marty Lyons Foundation Executive Committee Vice Chairman and former NY Jets player Kenny Shroy; Foundation Board Member Joseph DiSalvo; Foundation Founder/President and former NY Jets player; Foundation Board Member Steven Kuperschmid, and Greg Wagner; Terri Fudens; NYS Senator John Flanagan; The Marty Lyons Foundation Long Island Chapter President Peter Michalewicz; and Steve Romeo.

The office, located at 345 Veterans Memorial Highway in Commack, houses three staff members who are responsible for coordinating the organization’s program, which has ten Chapters serving thirteen states. The Foundation was originally founded in Uniondale before moving to Manhattan.

Pictured at The Marty Lyons Foundation’s recent Grand Opening of its new National Headquarters in Commack from left to right are: NYS Assemblyman Mike Fitzpatrick; NYS Senator John Flanagan; The Marty Lyons Foundation Long Island Chapter President Peter Michalewicz; Foundation Founder and President Marty Lyons; and Executive Committee Vice Chairman Kenny Schroy.

“Long Island is where the Foundation started and it feels good to be back. We have a new facility, a new staff and are prepared to move forward and continue to grant more wishes than ever before. The Foundation’s success is based on our staff, Board members, volunteers and the corporate community that supports our efforts in granting wishes for children and helping their families during difficult times,” said Lyons.

Since its inception, The Marty Lyons Foundation, a 501(c)3 nonprofit organization, has granted more than 6,500 special wishes to children between the ages three and 17 who have been diagnosed as having a terminal or life threatening illness.

For information about The Marty Lyons Foundation, please contact 631-543-9474 or visit www.martylyonsfoundation.org.