The North Babylon School District proudly hosted its English as a New Language and Dual Language Family Night on March 25 at the North Babylon High School, bringing together students, families and
Celebrating Culture, Language And Community
staff for an evening of cultural celebration, student achievement and community connection. The event began with a warm welcome and a program that highlighted the talents of elementary students, who took to
the stage to perform a series of lively, culturally inspired dances. Each grade level showcased a unique performance, reflecting the diversity and richness of the district’s ENL and dual language programs. From energetic routines to popular songs representing different cultures, students demonstrated confidence, enthusiasm and pride in their learning.
Following the performances, families were invited to continue the celebration in the cafeteria, where students presented projects focused on countries from around the world. These displays highlighted students’ research and creativity, offering insights into global traditions, customs and histories. As families toured the exhibits, they had the opportunity to engage with students, ask questions and learn more about the cultures
represented. ENL and Dual Language Family
Night continues to be a meaningful opportunity to celebrate diversity while strengthening connections between school and home.
The North Babylon School District hosted its English as a New Language and Dual Language Family Night on March 25 at the North Babylon High School. Photos courtesy of North Babylon School District
Learn The Meanings Behind Popular Mother’s Day Flowers
Mother’s Day is a time to express love and appreciation for mothers, sentiments that are often expressed with gifts. Flowers are a popular present to bestow on Mother’s Day, as they can brighten a room and bring a sweet aroma to any household. While any flowers may ultimately suffice on Mother’s Day, gift givers may want to select flowers
for Mom that convey specific messages. The language of flowers has been recognized for centuries. Though perhaps not as heralded as it once was, flower symbolism persists to this day. Here’s a look at some of the meanings behind certain types of flowers to help guide Mother’s Day gifting.
• Amaryllis: These plants start as bulbs and are naturally spring-
blooming flowers. The name comes from the Greek word “amarysso,” which means “to sparkle,” and they symbolize pride.
• Aster: These daisy-like flowers are delicatelooking perennials. Asters make great gifts because they symbolize love and daintiness.
are associated with youthfulness and cheerfulness and can call to mind childhood days spent picking buttercups and holding them under chins to reveal that you like butter. The flower is known for its beauty and innocent charm.
renewed affection for a person.
• Tulip: Tulips with an orange hue are thought to represent understanding and appreciation. They can express appreciation for Mom or another special person. Yellow tulips symbolize happiness, while pink tulips are symbolic of love. Red blooms should be reserved for sweethearts.
• Begonia: There are more than 2,000 types of begonias, and the flower symbolizes deep thoughts. Begonias were made famous by French horticulturist Michel Bégon, who thought the blooms looked like beautiful girls.
• Bleeding heart: These flowers are red and pink blossoms that look like the perfect heart shape with a teardrop at the bottom. They’re beautiful and symbolic of love and affection.
• Buttercup: These
• Camellia (white): White camellias stand for purity and innocence, but they also symbolize admiration and respect. Camellias make beautiful additions to any bouquet.
• Daisy: Daisies are happy-looking flowers, and according to Norse mythology they represent motherhood and children.
• Delphinium: Delphiniums come in pink, white and blue varieties and embody youth and renewal. They’re a good pick if you want to convey a continued or
MOTHER'S DAY
Kids Coloring Contest!
Get creative and color the drawing to the best of your ability! Three winners will be chosen - one in each age category: 4-5, 6-7, 8-10.
Winners will receive a 4-pack of tickets to the Long Island Aquarium All entries must be submitted by May 15. Winners will be notified on May 18. One entry per person.
Please mail your submission to:
Long Island Media Group
Attn: Marketing 565 Broadhollow Road Suite 3 Farmingdale, NY 11735
Name: Age: __ Phone Number: Email address: Town:
Sharp Tax MAY HAPPENINGS
THURSDAY, APRIL 30th
8:00 PM
Doors open at 6:30PM COMEDY NIGHT FUNDRAISER
The Kiwanis Club of Wantagh Comedy Night Fundraiser at Governor's Comedy Club 90 Division Avenue in Levittown. Tickets not sold at the door. Come support a great cause, comedy and wonderful raffle baskets. All proceeds support the Kiwanis Club of Wantagh's community service projects, scholarships and Kamp Kiwanis. For Tickets: contact Debbie Tota: 516.729.0521. Mail checks payable to Wantagh Kiwanis 2868 Lindale Street, Wantagh, NY 11793, www.facebook.com/ photo?fbid =1252757503617537&set =a.444021294491166
FRIDAY, MAY 1st
SATURDAY, MAY 2nd
9:30AM-3:00PM YARD SALE FUNDRAISER (Rain or Shine)
Community Presbyterian Church, 1843 Deer Park Ave. in Deer Park. Free admission (no vendors) For more information, please call 631-242-0221, churchon231@gmail.com
SATURDAY, MAY 2nd
9:00AM
I LOVE MY PARK DAY
Join us to celebrate and enhance New York’s parks, historic sites, greenway trails and other public lands. As the largest single-day volunteer event in New York State, it brings our community together. The work you do that day not only enhances the natural beauty and accessibility of our iconic state park but also ensures that this cherished space is ready to be
MAKE A SUBMISSION! Events must be submitted at least two weeks prior to the event date and will run free of charge on a space available basis. For more information, please call 631.226.2636 x275 or send events to editorial@longislandmediagroup.com
enjoyed by all throughout the season. By volunteering, you contribute to preserving the environment, fostering community pride, and supporting the long-term sustainability of New York’s treasured public lands. Connetquot River State Park Preserve, 4090 Sunrise Hwy in Oakdale. Register at ILMPD Event Map | LONYL Registration
9:30AM-3:00PM
SPRING PERENNIAL PLANT SALE
United Methodist Church in Sayville. Corner of Greene Ave and Main Street. Visit the Sayville Garden Club's annual Perennial Plant Sale. A wonderful selection of potted plants and house plants fairly priced. For more information, please call 631 567 2561, sayvillegardenclub@gmail.com
7:00PM
AMERICA’S 250th, CHOIR’S 50th (Rain or Shine)
100+ singers from parishes all over Long Island celebrate our parish choir’s 50th anniversary with Vivaldi’s Gloria and a hymn festival. It's also the 20th spring choir concert for the month of Our Blessed Mother Mary as they close the 10th year of the monthly concert series in memory of the 100th birthday of original parishioner Nelson Pontillo. Free Will Offering, All Welcome, Just Walk In, Hospitality to Follow. A special acknowledgement goes to Padre Pio Prayer Group anticipating their Mass for the Saint later in May. Our Lady of Grace RC Church - 666 Albin Ave. in West Babylon. For more information, please call the parish office 516-587-5185
MONDAY, MAY 4th
1:00PM-7:00PM
NEW YORK BLOOD CENTER BLOOD DRIVE
Charles S. Barr, Blood Drive Coordinator, Memorare Knights of Columbus. The Knights of Columbus, 2183 Jackson Ave. in Seaford, is hosting the New York Blood Center for a Blood Drive. Please feel free to call 1-800-933-BLOOD to make a reservation or just walk in. Call Charlie Barr, 516-510-4703, with any questions.
TUESDAY, MAY 5th
6:00PM-8:00PM
CINCO DE MAYO TACO NIGHT
Sgt. John Sardiello Post No. 1634, 10 Bruce Street, West Babylon Stop on by for dinner before or after your evening events! Dine in or Take Out!! All proceeds will benefit the kitchen fund of American Legion Post 1634, providing future fellowship gatherings for our veterans and their families. For tickets, visit our Zeffy site at: https:// www.zeffy com/en-US/ticketing/ american-legion-post-1634-eventtickets. For more information, contact: secretary,post1634@flmail.com Space is limited.
THURSDAY, MAY 14th
6:30PM FASHION SHOW
At the Giovanni Caboto Lodge #2372, Order, Seaford American Legion, 2301 Penatiquit Avenue. Great raffle prizes, the latest fashions, music, a wonderful dinner, dessert and more. The purpose of this fundraiser is to raise money to continue to support the many charities they sponsor, plus award scholarships to several of our local high school students. For further information/ reservations please contact Rosemarie DiChiara at 516-458-0097.
STEVE J. DIMARE
Format: Texas Scramble
PROUDLY HONORING
Benjamin Markan Partner, REMCO Agency
Benjamin has been a steadfast supporter of individuals and nonprofits, including New Ground, consistently giving back through donations and service to help break the cycle of homelessness for Long Island's Veterans and families
OUR MISSION
New Ground helps Veterans and families break the cycle of poverty and homelessness. Our dedicated Social Workers target long-term solutions including higher education, career development, and financial literacy, to empower clients to achieve self-sufficiency. Supporting the children’s academics and well-being means future independence for all!
GOLF COMMITTEE LEADERSHIP
Diane Caputi Retired, Dime Bank
Steven M. DiMare CEO, Unified Home Remodeling
David P. Ofenloch, Esq. Partner,Tarter Krinsky & Drogin LLP
Cultural Pride On Display
North Babylon High School celebrated its fourth annual Multicultural Night on April 13, transforming the school cafeteria into a vibrant showcase of the diverse cultures represented throughout the district and community. Students proudly highlighted countries from around the world by
wearing traditional attire, offering food tastings, and engaging guests in conversations about each nation’s history, customs and traditions. Among the countries represented were Japan, Puerto Rico, El Salvador, Haiti, Mexico, Colombia, Egypt, Guyana, Spain, Pakistan, Palestine and many others.
The event brought together students, staff, and families for an evening of cultural appreciation and connection. Members of the Foreign Language Honor Society played an integral role in supporting the event, which was organized under the guidance of advisors Ms. Verderosa and Mrs. Fonseca.
North Babylon High School celebrated its fourth annual Multicultural Night on April 13, showcasing cultures represented throughout the community and school district. Photos courtesy of North Babylon School District
South Bay's Neighbor celebrates local small businesses!
Small business is big business across much of North America. Small businesses boast a notable presence in the United States, where the Small Business Administration reports such establishments account for 99 percent of the nation’s firms.
Since 1963, the President of the United States has declared National Small Business Week to recognize small businesses as the job creators, builders, and innovators of America’s economy. Supporting these businesses is important, and here’s just a few reasons why:
• Small businesses are significant employers. The term “small business” can be misleading, particularly in terms of job creation. While small businesses are generally described as firms with fewer than 500 employees, recent data from the U.S. Small Business Administration indicated small companies accounted for two-thirds of employment growth across the U.S. over the last quarter century, ultimately creating around 13 million jobs during that time period.
• Small business spending is more likely to stay in the local community. Data from the American Independent Business Alliance indicates 48 percent of each purchase at a local independent business was recirculated locally. By comparison, just 14 percent of purchases at chain stores was recirculated locally. That means more than three times as much money is staying in communities when consumers buy from locally owned businesses compared to chain retailers.
• Innovative o erings: Small businesses are not beholden to corporate policies or franchise restrictions, so they can more readily bring new life to existing ideas and trends. Small businesses can and often do o er customers di erent options that larger retailers cannot match.
As Small Business Week approaches, take a moment to think about how you can support local small businesses right here on Long Island. And as always, thank you for your readership - your support means so much to our very own small business.
Find the words hidden vertically, horizontally, diagonally, and backwords.
LONG ISLAND MEDIA GROUP
PUBLISHER
Jeff Lambert
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CIRCULATION & DISTRIBUTION
Joe Lambert
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Diana Lambert ADMINISTRATION
PRODUCTION MANAGER
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MANAGING EDITOR
Felicia Edwards
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Noelle Lambert
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Victoria Kokolakis
Stephan Schulze
PROOFREADING
Kerry Mastrobuoni
ACCOUNT
EXECUTIVES
Carol Link
Nicole Sims
Kim Volz
Bonnie Schifano
Lucille Moran
Terry Rydyzynski
Noelle Lambert
SCAN HERE FOR MORE INFORMATION:
Meagan’s My Woodloch Story
From Rotary Phones To Pay Phones To Flip Phones To Smart Phones From FM Radio To Satellite Radio From 8 Track & Cassette To CD’s
From Schools, Organizations, Libraries And Local Businesses! From The First Color TV’s in the 1960’s To The First Flat Screens In The 1990’s From Cable TV In The 1980’s To The Streaming Services In The 2000’s
Through All These Changes, South Bay’s Neighbor Newspapers Has Been Proudly Publishing Since 1953 And Continues To Bring The Local Communities
Town Of Babylon Renames West Babylon Street In Honor Of Captain Philip Canfora Jr.
The Babylon Town Board has voted to ceremoniously rename the intersection of 13th Avenue and 3rd Street as Captain Philip Canfora Jr. Memorial Way, honoring a lifelong public servant whose decades of dedication left a lasting impact on the West Babylon community.
Captain Canfora dedicated nearly 50 years to the West Babylon Fire Department and served 33 years with the Suffolk County Sheriff’s Office, rising to the rank of Captain. Following in his father’s footsteps, he carried on a proud family tradition of service—one that spans generations, as his father, Chief Philip Canfora Sr., was also honored with a street renaming in West Babylon.
“Captain Philip Canfora Jr. represented the very best of Babylon—selfless, dedicated, and always ready to serve,” said Supervisor Rich Schaffer. “It is our honor to ensure his name and legacy will forever be a part of this community he gave so much to.”
Supervisor Rich Schaffer and Councilman Terence McSweeney were honored to attend the ceremony, which brought together family members, fellow first responders, and community leaders to celebrate Captain
Canfora’s extraordinary life of service. The event featured remarks from elected officials, fire department leadership, and loved ones, culminating in the unveiling of the new street sign beneath a ceremonial flag arch.
The Town of Babylon extends its gratitude to the Canfora family, the West Babylon Fire Department, and all who joined in honoring a life of extraordinary service.
On May 2nd at 7pm, 100+ singers from parishes all over Long Island celebrate our parish choir’s 50th anniversary with Vivaldi’s Gloria and a hymn festival. Join us! Our biggest concert in decades. This is also the 20th spring choir concert for the month of
Our Blessed Mother Mary as we close the 10th year of the monthly concert series in memory of the 100th birthday of original parishioner Nelson Pontillo. Free Will Offering, All Welcome, Just Walk In, Hospitality to Follow. A special acknowledgement
goes to our Padre Pio Prayer Group anticipating their Mass for the Saint later in May.
Our Lady of Grace RC Church - 666 Albin Ave. West Babylon, NY 11704 For more information please call the parish office @ 516-587-5185
Adoption Gives Dogs A New ‘Leash’ On Life Puppy Care 101
“Adopt don’t shop” is a mantra utilized by many organizations devoted to finding loving homes for shelter animals. With thousands of dogs, cats and other companion animals residing in shelters or being fostered until they can find their forever homes, rescue organizations urge the pet-loving public to adopt rather than purchase dogs from private breeders.
Individuals who choose to adopt a dog from a private rescue, humane society, animal shelter, or another welfare group would be wise to follow some guidelines that can help individuals and families find the best matches with their new pets.
“It’s important to be honest with the rescue group regarding, not only what you’re looking for in a dog, such as disposition, energy level, age, and size, but to describe the overall household dynamic,” advises Toni Diamond, founder of Diamond Dogs Rescue, Inc. (www. diamonddogsrescueinc. com), a foster-based rescue with resources in New Jersey and Massachusetts. “This way the rescue can match your needs with the dogs they have available to ensure the best
opportunity the placed pet will remain in your home.”
Here are some other tips to consider if you’re thinking of adopting a pet.
• Think about fostering first. If you’re on the fence about whether to take in a dog right now, fostering offers a way to gauge how life can change with a dog in the household. Fostering a dog can free up resources and enable rescues to help other dogs. Many “foster fails” are dogs that foster families
adopted themselves because they couldn’t bear to give the dogs up.
• Expect to be vetted. Rescue groups generally do some type of adopter check, which includes an application questionnaire, and may want to visit your home to be sure that it is safe and comfortable for the dog. Expect an adoption fee, as this helps defray the cost of sheltering animals.
• Don’t feel limited by geography. Rescues
Welcoming a new puppy is exciting but comes with responsibility. The first few months are crucial for shaping a dog’s health, behavior, and well-being, so proper care, nutrition, and training are essential.
handle dogs from across the country. Some may even be willing to facilitate travel from one area to another. If you see a dog online that seems to be a perfect fit but is a good distance away, contact the rescue to see what can be done.
• Be patient and openminded. Rescued animals often have been jostled around a bit, moving from place to place. Expect a transition period for the shell-shocked animal to settle down before judging his or her true personality. It’s possible for rescued dogs to have accidents in a home, act out or be hesitant around people while they learn to trust their new owners.
Adopting a dog can be a great way to add to the family and provide a loving animal with new beginnings.
Health: Schedule a vet visit right away for vaccinations and a wellness check. Core vaccines protect against serious diseases, and puppies should stay close to home until fully immunized. Treat any parasites under veterinary guidance.
Nutrition: Puppies need more energy and nutrients than adult dogs. Feed high-quality puppy food in three to four small meals daily, transitioning to adult food as they near full growth.
Socialization: Between 3–16 weeks, expose puppies to people, environments, and other dogs in a positive way to build confidence and good behavior.
Training: Start early with basic commands using positive reinforcement. Keep sessions short, consistent, and rewarding. Establish a regular potty schedule to support house training.
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A sales representative will be happy to assist you.
TO pl ace an ad in the CLASSIFIED se ctio n, call 631-226-2636, press “2”.
A sales representative will be happy to assist you.
TO pl ace an ad in the CLASSIFIED se ctio n, call 631-226-2636, press “2”. A sales representative will be happy to assist you.
TO pl ace an ad in the CLASSIFIED se ctio n, call 631-226-2636, press “2”. A sales representative will be happy to assist you.
TO pl ace an ad in the CLASSIFIED se ctio n, call 631-226-2636, press “2”. A sales representative will be happy to assist you.
TO pl ace an ad in the CLASSIFIED se ctio n, call 631-226-2636, press “2”. A sales representative will be happy to assist you.
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