HAWKINS & DAVIS FUNERAL HOME ACQUIRED BY THE VIGLIANTE FAMILY OF THE BRANCH FUNERAL HOMES

After 35 years of dedicated funeral service to the community, Stephen Markgraf, owner of Hawkins & Davis Funeral Home, has decided to sell the funeral home to the Branch Funeral Homes.  Mr. Markgraf felt that the funeral home to best carry on the legacy of the Hawkins & Davis family traditions was the Branch Funeral Homes, which are owned and managed by Henry, John and Paul Vigliante. 

In 1949, Russell B. Hawkins, established his funeral home at 17 Manor Road, serving the families in the town of Smithtown with dignity, sincerity and compassion.  Mr. Markgraf became the manager in 1980 and in 1983 purchased the funeral home from the Hawkins family. Through the years since its inception, the funeral home experienced many changes with expansion and remodeling to serve its families better. It has four large chapels to accommodate any size service.  In 1991, under Mr. Markgraf’s leadership, O.R. Davis Funeral Home merged with R.B. Hawkins Funeral Home and operated under one roof as Hawkins & Davis Funeral Home for the past 24 years.

Hawkins & Davis Funeral Home continued to honor the Hawkins legacy by accommodating all families like their own with care and compassion. The funeral home has been a pillar of strength for families during their most difficult times for over 66 years. 

John Vigliante said, “We are honored to carry on the Hawkins family traditions just as we carry on our family traditions serving every family as our own.”  Paul Vigliante added, “We are committed to serving our families in their deepest time of need and making sure all their requests are met at all of our family’s funeral homes.” John and Paul Vigliante are both fourth generation funeral directors since their great- grandfather established himself in the funeral business in 1900.  Both the Hawkins and Vigliante families have a long legacy in funeral service and have earned the trust, confidence and reputation of the communities they have served and continue to serve.

Mr. Markgraf said, “I am so pleased that Hawkins & Davis Funeral Home will remain family owned and operated with the same great level of service and to carry on our long-honored traditions.  “  Stephen Markgraf plans on working with the Vigliante family at their funeral homes part time.  

Henry Vigliante said, “All current preplaned funeral arrangements will be guaranteed with the highest level of quality service you’ve come to depend on.”

If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to call John, Paul or Henry 631-265-1810 or visit our website at www.hawkinsanddavisfh.com. 

SHSE Boys Track Team Takes 3rd Place At Annual Eddy Meet Set School Relay Record

East Boys Track Takes Third Place at 75^th Annual Eddy Meet

A Trio of Individual Champions and New 4x800m School Relay Record

Story and Photos by James B. Teese

(click on photos to enlarge)

 Most of the Smithtown East boys and girls medalists after the prestigious Eddy Meet at Schenectady High School. Pictured (l-r) Silver 4x800 Relay - Eric Herrmann, Patrick Teese, Matthew Whalen, Marius Sidlauskas; High Jump Champion - Daniel Claxton; High Jump - Benjamin Lebit; High Jump - Jessica Martin; Pole Vault - Kylie Strzelczyk; 3,000 Meter Run - Jaclyn Gallery. (Not pictured: Discus Champion - Liam Hendricks; Shot Put Champion - Dominic Oramas; 100 Meter Dash & 200 Meter Dash - Shane Harris.)The Smithtown High School East Boys and Girls track and field team went upstate recently with high expectations for competing in the 75^th Annual Eddy Meet held at Schenectady High School.

With trophies to defend, and school records to challenge, the athletes were primed for solid performances – and the coaches were not disappointed.

Three boys took home individual championship trophies,For the third straight year, the East 4x800 Team medaled at the Eddy Meet - this year smashing their own school record in a blistering 7:56.94. Pictured are senior Matt Whalen, sophomore Marius Sidlauskas, and seniors Patrick Teese and Eric Herrmann. the 4x800 Meter Relay Squad smashed their own school record and the teams combined to produce twelve medalists!

The Boys 4x800 Meter Relay Squad had set a school record last year in winning the event.  This year they lowered their own record by over eight seconds, ran what was then the fifth-best time in the State for the 2015 season – and could gain only the Silver medal when the Liverpool HS squad ran the third-best time of the season!

In three years at the games, the squad – with three members of the quartet running each time lowered the time from 8:23 in 2013, to a then-school 8:05.16 last year to a blistering 7:56.94.  This year, three seniors — Matt Whalen, Patrick Teese, and Eric Herrmann — were joined by sophomore Marius Sidlauskas for the record-setting relay.  The same quartet also sent the indoor record during this past winter season.

Trio of Champs

Champion Throwers: Dominic Oramas won the Shot Put event while teammate Liam Hendricks won the Discus Event. Both are juniors.Three members of the team won championships in field events.

Sophomore High Jump sensation Dan Claxton won the event with a leap of 6’-8.”  He holds the school indoor and outdoor records and finished second in the State in the winter.

A pair of juniors also triumphed:  Dominic Oramas won the Shot Put event (53’-6.25”) while teammate Liam Hendricks won the Discus Event (160’-5”).

Senior Benjamin Lebit also medaled in the High Jump, finishing tied for fourth place.

Senior sprinter Shane Harris (r) won a pair of medals with a third place finish in the 100 Meter dash and sixth place in the 200 Meter Dash. Sprinter Shane Harris (also a senior) won a pair of medals with a third place finish in the 100 Meter Dash and sixth place in the 200 Meter Dash.

Girls Medal Trio

For the East girls, junior Jessica Martin took fifth place in the High Jump by clearing the bar at 5-02.00.

Sophomore Kylie Strzelczyk earned sixth place in the Pole Vault with a height of 10-00.00, a full foot better than her 2014 mark.  She is the school record holder with a vault of 10’-4” earlier this season.

 Another school record holder, sophomore Jaclyn Gallery ran to a sixth place finish in the 3,000 Meter Run in 10:20.42 for the third spot on the podium at Eddy.

The boys and girls will be competing at the State Qualifiers at Port Jefferson High School on Friday Jun5 5 and Saturday, June 6, 2015.

Three People Rescued From Boat Fire In Great South Bay

Suffolk County Police Marine Bureau officers rescued three people from the water after they jumped off their boat that caught fire in the Great South Bay tonight.

Matthew Biagi was operating a 2001 25 foot Chris Craft with two passengers on a trip from Oakdale to Fire Island when they noticed smoke coming from their engine compartment. They attempted to put out the flames with a fire extinguisher but the extinguisher did not work. The three men put on personal flotation devices, jumped overboard and called 911 from a cell phone at approximately 6:55 p.m. The water was approximately 60 degrees.

Suffolk County Police immediately notified the US Coast Guard and Fire Rescue and Emergency Services.

Suffolk County Police Marine Bureau officers Robert Femia and Daniel Smith, on patrol vessel Marine Kilo, responded to the location and pulled the men from the water at approximately 7:15 p.m. The officers then administered first aid for treatment of hypothermia. Marine Mike, Marine Juliet, and Marine 35 also responded.

Biagi, 41, of Forest Hills, his brother Joseph Biagi, 40, of Weehawken New Jersey and Richard Damaro, 42, of Forest Hills, were transported by Marine Kilo to Suffolk County Police Marine Bureau Headquarters at Timber Point in Great River, where they were checked by emergency medical personnel from Islip Exchange Ambulance. The three men refused further medical treatment.

The fire was extinguished by fire boats from the Blue Point and Bayport Fire Departments.

The vessel was transported to Timber Point for examination by the Arson Squad.

Smithtown's Rachel Gladstone "Run For Recycling" June 13

Rachel GladstoneThe 5K Race and a half mile fun run for Recycling is set for Sunken Meadow on Saturday, June 13. The fun run begins at 9:15 am and the 5K at 10 am. The race is the brainchild of Rachel Gladstone a junior at Smithtown HS West. In addition to being a student, Rachel is a runner, an environmentalist, a Girl Scout and a problem solver.

While running at track meets at Sunken Meadow Park, Rachel realized that the trash bins at the park were often overflowing with plastic water bottles and sports drink bottles. The bottles were being discarded with regular trash which she believed was both wasteful and unnecessary. Familiar with recycling, Rachel did some reasearch and learned that there were no bins for recycling the bottles at Sunken Meadow. She dug a little deeper and learned that the cost for recycling bins is around $200 each. 

Rachel took ownership of the issue. Not one to walk away from a challenge she realized that this would make a great project for her Girl Scout Gold Award and would benefit the park.

The Gold Award is the highest award in Girl Scouts and has rigourous requirements for planning and implementation of a project.  It is suggested that the candidate plan to spend at least 80 hours on their project. No problem for Rachel since she has been working months on the planning and organizing of her Race for Recycling event.  

One of the original concerns, how to get approvals for the bins and approval for the race, was addressed when Park Director Jeffrey Mason embraced the project. He assured her that the donated bins would be appropriately placed and the contents would be properly disposed of by the park staff. 

There was still a lot more for Rachel to do. Getting people to participate, getting sponsors and letting people know about her event were difficult challenges.  Rachel has been reaching out to runners at various track meets handing out flyers and asking people to join her. She has been going to local businesses to ask for their support and continues to do so.  

Rachel’s goal is to purchase as many bins as possible. Initially she was hoping to raise funds to purchase ten bins which she believes will make a tremendous difference in the park. Although she  is not certain that she will meet that goal, which she acknowledges is ambitious, she is well aware that she is bringing attention to an important environmental issue.

According to National Geographic, “for every six water bottles we use, only one makes it to the recycling bin. The rest are sent to landfills. Or, even worse, they end up as trash on the land and in rivers, lakes, and the ocean. Plastic bottles take many hundreds of years to disintegrate.” Recycling bins at Sunken Meadow, one of New York State’s most visited parks, will make it easy for people to recycle and hopefully bring more awareness. 

Doing something for her community is what Rachel Gladstone is most proud of, walking away from a challange is not an option for this smart young woman, “we all have to do what we can and not leave it for others to do.” is how Rachel Gladstone looks at the project and problems in general. 

Rachel Gladstone is a high school student, a problem solver, Girl Scout and a young woman Smithtown can be proud of!

Join Rachel this Saturday, June 13 at 10am at Sunken Meadow Park. Bring the kids and show them how they too can make a difference.

Download race application

Smithtown Cooks At Annual Long Island Hospitality Ball

Smithtown Represents at the 5^th Annual Long Island Hospitality Ball

By Nancy Vallarella of What’s Cookin’? – Smithtown

The 2015 Long Island Hospitality Ball held on the evening of June 1, 2015 at the Crest Hollow Country Club in Woodbury, was tremendously successful due to the generosity of many Long Island individuals and hospitality businesses. Early projections estimate nearly half of a million dollars were raised for the Carol Baldwin Breast Cancer Research Fund. The Fund has made possible research grants totaling over 4.5 million dollars to Stony Brook Medicine.

Alec and Billy Baldwin were on board to host and kicked off the evening.  Even with a last minute move indoors due to the evening’s inclement weather numerous entertainers, culinary and spirit businesses performed for and served an estimated 3,000 attendees. Many were challenged to see, taste and enjoy all that was available even over a five and a half hour period.

If you missed attending Monday night’s event, you could experience the tastes and sounds here in Smithtown.  Among the many featured restaurants at the 5^th annual LIHB were Andrea’s 25, Ciao Baby, H20, Insignia Prime Steak and Sushi, Ragazzi Italian Kitchen & Bar and the Watermill Caterers.

That 70’s Band will be performing as part of the Nesconset Chamber of Commerce 2015 Summer Concert Series on July 7th. Schedule of Bands Playing At Nesconset Summer Concert Series. Please remembert to bring a non-perishable food item to be donated to the Long Island Cares Harry Chapin Food Bank.

If you are interested in participating in an event, the Carol Baldwin Annual Golf Outing will be held at the Nissequogue Country Club on July 13^th. For more information call 631-444-4302.