Father's Day And A Vision For Smithtown

By Maureen Rossi

Today children all over the country celebrate and honor the lives of their Dads with gifts, cards and laughter. It’s a day where memories are created.  However, three Smithtown families will not be creating new memories but grasping to old ones, their day is about loss and it is punctuated by sadness.

The Sipes Family, the Byrnes Family and the family of Charlie Doonan share a common bond and all three families were present Friday at the 12^th Annual Smart Growth Awards. The ceremony celebrated people, projects and policies that advance Smart Growth on Long Island. 

Hosted by Vision Long Island, the Smithtown families were among over seven hundred guests that packed the Grand Ballroom of the Huntington Hilton that included over fifty elected officials from Nassau and Suffolk together with both County Executives.

Vision Long Island is a Northport non-profit that works to create economically sustainable and environmentally responsible growth.  Their focus includes re-development and open space preservation.  In addition they support and advocate for mixed-use communities that are transportation friendly and pedestrian friendly.

Lavena Sipes of the Courtney Sipes Foundation and Mark Mancini, President of the Smithtown Chamber ofLavena Sipes, Mark Mancini, Smithtown Chamber of Commerce (photo LI Vision) Commerce were two of the honorees at this year’s ceremony and were recognized for their work to make downtown Smithtown more pedestrian friendly.  

Vision Long Island Executive Director Eric Alexander acknowledged that our region has some of the most dangerous roads in the state; one of those roads is Route 25.  Sipes took the podium and told the crowd of the day that forever altered her life.  She and her daughter were crossing Main Street in Smithtown in the fall of 2009 when an S.U.V. came out of nowhere and threw 11 year old Courtney over 50 feet.

“We lost her that night,” she lamented.

An eerie silence swept the room as Sipes and Mancini told the multiple tragedies that have befallen several families on the state road.  Mancini said six people lost their lives on a small section of 25 within a seven-year period.

“We started a Facebook page, started a petition and began a discussion,” said Mancini.

The two galvanized the community and had many discussions with various entities including local and state public officials.  The two-lane road has since been reduced to one lane for eastbound traffic and a median has been created.  In addition left turning lanes were installed and a new speed limit was implemented.

“We did improve pedestrian safety, we realized exactly what we had to do,” said Sipes.

She and Mancini said over two hundred residents came out for the critical discussion about the safety of their downtown and they listened to what people had to say. 

The Courtney Sipes Foundation was founded by Courtney’s family and is committed to provide scholarships and opportunities to children with an interest in music or art and to advocate for pedestrian safety. Sipes and Mancini said they are pleased with the progress thus far but that more needs to be done.

“Ultimately, the D.O.T. took what we presented and they improved safety,” said Mancini. He thanked Vision Long Island for their tireless help and Councilmen Creighton and Wehrheim who were also in attendance.   In addition, Sipes took a moment to recognize the Byrnes family who was on hand to support their movement.

Byrnes FamilyMichelle Byrnes, a stunning beauty in her 30’s, sat quietly with her late husband’s parents, his brother John, his godson and her own mother.   Quiet tears rolled down the faces of the entire Byrnes family as Sipes and Mancini spoke.  Seamus Byrnes, her high school sweet heart, was one of the six fatalities Mancini spoke of.  The former Afghanistan veteran and KP native survived a suicide bombing in war ravaged battlefields overseas, however, he lost his life when he stepped off the curb on Rte. 25 in February of 2011.

Byrnes, only 33 at the time, left behind a son and a daughter who are now thirteen and six.  His children have little to celebrate on this Father’s day. 

Kings Park resident Michelle Stein and her husband Peter came to the Awards ceremony at the request of Sipes.   Michelle’s dad Charlie Doonan was a Flushing resident and retired Deputy Inspector for the N.Y.P.D.  Doonan ventured to Smithtown to see a production at the Smithtown Performing Art Center on January 2, 2010.

Charlie Doonan“He and his girlfriend were both hit by a vehicle, his girlfriend sustained a dislocated shoulder but my father had severe head injuries and lingered in a coma for seven long months,” said Stein.

It was Lavena Sipes who invited Stein to the Vision Long Island Awards ceremony; she had befriended her on Kings Park day in 2010 when they shared their tragedies with one another.

“Losing your father at my age is a natural part of life but my heart goes to the Byrnes and Sipes family,” said Stein.

Stein will spend Father’s celebrating her husband Peter’s devotion to his family.   However, this is the third Father’s day without her father Charlie Doonan.  She says she still can’t believe that he survived decades in some of the toughest neighborhoods in New York City as a cop only to succumb on Main Street in her very own community. 

“So far I have just lent emotional support to Lavena Sipes but I am ready to put feet on the ground, more needs to be done,” she said.

Courtney’s dad Tracy Sipes was gallantly at his wife’s side for the Smart Growth Awards as he has been since the day his precious daughter left this world.  Today he celebrates Father’s Day with his son 17-year old son Cameron who is about to graduate high school and head off to college in Texas.   Much like the award presented to his wife, the day will bring both joy and immeasurable sadness.

Making A Difference - Hauppauge HS's Carter Thornton

By Cristen Feeney

Carter Thornton (far right) Making A Difference at Smithtown Animal ShelterA pet can brighten up anyone’s life, but adopting a pet from a shelter can be one of the most fulfilling experiences for both owner and pet. Hauppauge High School junior, Carter Thornton, decided to develop a project to help animals at the Smithtown Animal Shelter. His goal is to raise awareness, get volunteers, raise funds and encourage the adoption of pets at the shelter.  A big project for a single student to take on, so Thornton recruited some help from his classmates Brittany Furnari and Kylie Antignano. Together they are planning activities and making sure the project goes smoothly. These students will be working at the Smithtown Animal Shelter through the end of the year. Although all their success and good deeds will be the product of their hard work, the nudge to do the project  was a result of their participation in the International Baccalaureate (I.B.) program at their high school. One of the requirements of the I.B. program is “Community, Action and Service” , independent from the school, students must get involved in their community. Thornton said he has always loved animals and plans on going into veterinary science; so for him, this project was a “no-brainer.”

On Saturday, June 8, the three students had their first event at the shelter. “For starters, I began to come up with some ideas to attract more people outside of my friends and family with a 50/50 raffle, face painting for the kids and a bake sale. [They could] also come and adopt the animals… After [I thought of some ideas], I reached out to some papers to get the word out…. I also put up flyers around the school and would tell anyone I knew about [the event]. As the actual event took place… about 20 people showed up throughout the day [and] we managed to accumulate $133 dollars in donations” said Thornton. Director of the shelter, George Beatty, thought that the project was a success and is grateful to have passionate students helping out the shelter. According to Beatty, there were even two animals adopted on the day of the event. Thornton is planning to arrange another event toward the end of the summer for those who didn’t get to participate this time around, although the date is still unknown.

If you’d like to get involved with the Smithtown Animal Shelter, they will be at Kings Park Day on June 15th, or at the Stony Brook “Groomery” at 1320 Stony Brook Road on June 22nd with pets that you can adopt. Even if you can’t afford to donate, or can’t adopt at this point, Beatty encourages people to “come on in and walk the dogs. [There is a] nature trail in the back and a sun room…for the cats.” Anything that you are able or willing to do to help is welcomed and encouraged.

The Smithtown Animal Shelter encourages all to get involved, whether it be through adoption, a visit to the pets or a donation of any size. The shelter gives a home to lost, abandoned and stray animals that would otherwise be living on the street, but the shelter needs your help to keep them off the street. Thornton encourages everyone to go to the Shelter and help out saying, “overall, I would hope for a better turn out [at the event] next time, but we still gave the shelter money it didn’t have [before the event] and that’s what really matters to me at the end of the day.” Adopting a pet from a shelter means giving a helpless animal a good home and a family that loves them.

For more information on adopting a pet or making a donation of any size, you can visit  HYPERLINK “http://www.petfinder.com/shelters/NY53.html” http://www.petfinder.com/shelters/NY53.html.

Rotarians - Third Graders - Dictionaries - Perfect Together

(L-R) Rotarians Vicki Tay, Jules Rosenberg, David Ardam, Phil Facquet, Michelle Tancredi - Principal and Sawmill Intermediate students This week Rotarians from the  Commack - Kings Park Rotary Club distributed over 800 dictionaries to third graders in Commack and Kings Park schools. The dictionaries were a gift to students as part of the clubs Literacy Project. “The dictionaries represent our clubs commitment to education and our commitment to our local kids. The distribution of the dictionaries is always fun, the response we receive from the kids is amazing.” said Dr. Phil Facquet, president.

Students in Mr. Rubins class at Fort Salonga Elementary show off their dictionariesMembers of the club had the opportunity to spend some time with third graders at Park View and Fort Salonga in Kings Park and Burr Intermediate and Sawmill Intermediate in Commack. “We talk to the students about the use of a dictionary and a little about the Rotary. The kids get to ask us questions and we get to enjoy the interaction. The third graders we spoke with this year seem to be keenly aware of the challenges they will face in fourth grade and beyond and were genuinely appreciative of our gift.” said Facquet.

In addition to the dictionary project the Commack - Kings Park Rotary Club recently held a “Student of The(L-R) Vice Principal Hillary Bromberg, Phil Facquet, Lauren Hogan and Park View students Year” luncheon where  six middle school students, three from each school district, were recognized for their community service.  The club is also building a “Healing Garden” at the Nissequogue River State Park.  A dedication of the garden is scheduled for July 31 at the park. 

The Commack-Kings Park Rotary Club meets every Tuesday at 12:15 at the Bonwit Inn in Commack. The luncheon meeting is open to the public for more information contact Dr. Facquet at drfacquet@optonline.net.

Support For NRSP Ran Deep At Sunset 5K Run/Walk

Results of the run - 238 people participated in the Nissequogue River State Park Foundation’s annual 5k Sunset Run/walk. After days of horrible weather, including torrential rains, the sky cleared, most puddles disappeared and folks showed up ready to run.  The kids set the pace in the 1k fun walk. Their energy and enthusiasm was contagious. They were all winners! When the call went out to line-up for the 5K, the crowd was ready for the  run through the Nissequogue River State Park.  The signal was given, the runners took off and immediately faced some challenging uphill terrain. Some ran, some walked and many did a combination of both. Congratulations to everyone who participated and to those who posted the fastest times.  First place- Boyd Carrington - Amityville, Second Place - Keith Guilfoyle -  Commack and Third Place-  Michael Robles - Smithtown. For the Women - First Place - Tara Wilson - West Islip    Second Place -  Una Broderick - Wantagh and Third Place-  Erin Enders - Commack.      

Commack - Kings Park Rotary Club's "Students Of The Year"

The Commack - Kings Park Rotary Club recognized the contributions of six local students from the Commack and Kings Park School districts. The students are incredible representatives of their generation. They have each dedicated a good portion of their free time to making life a little bit better for others. Congratulations to all of the honorees!

Meet the Honorees:

Kings Park

Gianna Gambale – Gianna volunteered to assist in a coat drive at St. Joseph’s Church, and worked with the Pre-K students at the Vacation Bible School at Abiding Presence Church.  In addition, as a member of the National Junior Honor Society, Gianna volunteered her time to cook for the residents of the Ronald McDonald House, took part in a fundraiser at Barnes and Noble by assisting patrons, and collected $100 in gift cards for a holiday raffle fundraiser to help families in need in Kings Park.  As a band member, Gianna has also played her instrument at community events and parades.  Gianna is a very active member of the WTR and Kings Park communities and is a role model for her peers.

 Samantha Nathan – As an active member of the youth organization in her church, Samantha hasparticipated in Suffolk County’s Habitat for Humanity, and collected, prepared, and packaged food and meals for those in need.  In addition, she has assisted in collecting shoes, eye glasses, and prom dresses for those less fortunate, and participated in fundraisers for charitable organizations.  She helps to decorate the church during the Christmas season, collects birthday gifts and supplies for local children in need, and has helped create care packages for soldiers in Afghanistan.  Samantha has a huge heart and loves to lend a hand whenever she can.

Allyson Yuditsky –  Allyson is dedicated to helping others in her school and in her community.  She takes part in Healthy Sundays through St. Catherine’s Hospital, where her mother works.  On these days, she travels to communities and assists her mother and the volunteers of St. Catherine’s to bring medical attention and food to those who may not be able to afford it.  For example, she helps to direct people as they seek free flu shots and blood sugar tests after they attend a weekly mass.  As a member of the National Junior Honor Society, Allyson volunteered at the Ronald McDonald House to make and serve food for the residents of the home.  In addition, she is a member of both the 7th and 8th grade band and chorus at WTRMS and has volunteered her time by marching in parades and playing at various community events.  As a member of the youth group at her church, she has taken part in car washes, food and clothing drives, and also made bracelets to be sold as a fundraiser for children in Haiti.  Lastly, Allyson danced for an event through her dance company, Encore, and raised funds for a charity with her troupe. 

Commack:

Shannon Burns is a seventh grader and Girl Scout since she was in Kindergarten. She is involved in many service projects to benefit those in both her community and abroad. Through recycling efforts, she helps to raise funds to provide a better life to a child in Columbia. Shannon earned a bronze award by fundraising, shopping and cooking desserts for the residents of the Ronald McDonald House. This hard-working young lady also works as a dance assistant in her local dance studio, and has done so for the past three years. An active member of her community, Shannon has also volunteered through her church to help prepare children for their First Holy Communion. Additionally, Shannon is a member of two school clubs—the Best of Buddies club, which promotes friendships between students with disabilities and their non-disabled peers, and the Pay-it-Forward Club, which focuses on making a difference in school and the community.
Shannon has truly helped so many with her kind deeds and outstanding service.

Kim Siegel is an eager, dedicated 8^th grade student who started a club to make scarves and donate them to people who are homeless or financially challenged. Kim and a friend went to a scarf knotting demonstration and then she was inspired a club to make scarves for those in need. She wanted to recruit people for her club so she distributed flyers around school. The scarves are knotted at Kim’s house, and she is in charge of scheduling the time and making sure there are enough supplies on hand. Kim is a Girl Scout who also teaches younger troops how to knot scarves. With her efforts, she was able to donate about 100 scarves to a soup kitchen she volunteers at for the 2011 holiday season. Kim is warmed by the thought that those in need can stay a bit warmer in the cold seasons, and it shows to the community that kids really do care. She knows, by all of her efforts, that if you put your mind to do something, you can accomplish anything.

Ryan von Hof is an 8^th grade, well-rounded student who has been a member of student council since the 3^rd grade. Ryan has volunteered and served in a leadership role in numerous charitable projects. He always has a desire to help others and was influenced by his late grandmother, who worked tirelessly to help others in her life. In honor of his grandmother, he has helped people through his efforts volunteering at coat drives, food drives, making food for food pantries, and raising funds to help children with cancer.

Ryan was recently asked to take on a leadership role through student government to serve on their Executive Committee, in which he leads a dedicated group of about 120 students. The committee’s many efforts have included: raising $500 to donate to a local animal shelter, donating two tons of food to a food pantry, and donating twelve “Welcome Home baskets” for recipients of Habitat for Humanity homes.

In addition to his numerous volunteer and charitable works, he also tutors students after school. Ryan is aware of the work and effort to make a difference in peoples lives, but he knows his efforts are honorable. He also is involved in motivating students to take action to help others, and firmly believes that, Together, we can accomplish great things. Ryan has recently qualified for the Presidents Volunteer Service Award, based on the number of volunteer hours he has completed.

The Commack - Kings Park Rotary Club is part of Rotary International. The club meets for a lunch meeting every Tuesday at the Bonwit Inn in Commack at 12:15. If you would like to learn more about the Rotary or are interesed in becoming a member stop by or check out the website Rotary Club of Commack-Kings Park.

Rotary International’s Mission & Core Values

“We provide service to others, promote integrity, and advance world understanding, goodwill, and peace through our fellowship of business, professional, and community leaders.”  - Rotary International’s Strategic Plan. Our Core Values include: Service, Fellowship, Diversity, Integrity and Leadership.