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Friday, January 2, 2026
Vol. 3, No. 1
THE GATEWAY TO NASSAU COUNTY SERVING FLORAL PARK, BELLEROSE AND STEWART MANOR
JLCS collects donations for those in need
John Lewis Childs School’s Student Council members and Advisers Marianna Antonakis and Christina Saunders are pictured with members of the NYPD on Dec. 19.
Every December, John Lewis Childs School embraces the spirit of the season by giving back to the community and helping those in need through its annual toy drive and mitten collection. The Student Council, under the guidance of advisers Marianna Antonakis and Christina Saunders, organized the yearly toy drive for the Hance Family Foundation. Students and staff were invited to contribute new, unopened toys during the two-week drive. On Dec. 19, Student Council members welcomed students to “hop on” the Toy Train in the gymnasium to deliver their donations.
The PTA also generously donated funds to purchase toys and sponsored the holiday decorations in the gymnasium. Representatives from the Hance Family Foundation and NYPD Community Affairs, who distributed the toy donations on behalf of the foundation, visited the school and thanked the students for their efforts. The toys were given to families in need throughout the 113th Precinct. Meanwhile, the Mitten Tree in the main lobby is decorated with brand-new mittens, gloves and scarves, all of which will be donated to an elementary school in See page 2
Local resident publishes Christmas coloring book BY RIKKI MASSAND Spaceships, dinosaurs, suffragettes, pirates, robots, a witch, and an alien queen are all connected through Santa’s most untraditional Christmas journey in a new illustrated children’s coloring book. The imaginative and entertaining holiday release is the creation
of a Floral Park father of two, who has unleashed a festive masterpiece filled with inspiration for readers and colorists of all ages. Andrew William Ralph was born in Washington state and spent his childhood in Woodstock, Vermont. His wife grew up in Queens, and the couple later moved to New York City
before settling in Floral Park in 2019, shortly after the birth of their first child. Ralph studied at the Los Angeles Film School and the ArtCenter College of Design in Pasadena. He has worked in the record industry for about 15 years. “When I moved to New York is when I started creating my
The Floral Park Villager Published every Friday by Litmor Publishing Corp. Telephone 516-931-0012 Postmaster: Send Address Change to: The Floral Park Villager, 821 Franklin Ave., Suite 208 Garden City, N.Y. 11530 • Meg Norris, Publisher
own art and my own style. In LA I was all into the film industry in art production, set dressing and designs for TV, commercials and movies. I’m an illustrator and my mom always says I was born with a pen in my hand as I was into drawing comics and creating characters, then it followed me with developing skills in art and film school. At the point where technology allows us to do so much on iPads, these animation
programs allowed me to do the detailed work from home,” he shared. Both of Ralph’s parents were musicians, and art has been a constant presence throughout his life and professional career. Ralph worked as head animator for Atlantic Records Digital for a decade, collaborating with hundreds of artists, including many of the biggest names in music. For the new book, he See page 4
Student Council hosts food drive PAGE 3 Evening Edition Book Club meets PAGE 3