WHERE BETTER NEVER STOPS.
Introducing the most advanced, state-of-the-art health care experience the South Shore has ever seen.
Here at Good Samaritan University Hospital, “better” isn’t a finish line. It’s a starting point. A new beginning. A symbol of transformation our community deserves. And while our Patient Care Pavilion will feature an all-new, expanded emergency department, technologically advanced operating rooms, reimagined private patient rooms, and enhanced Trauma and Stroke centers, we know that better care isn’t just about the building. It’s about the people inside, and the hands that heal. Because better is something we live every day. And it never stops.
To learn
SUNDAY, DEC. 7th
FEBRUARY
HAPPENINGS
THURSDAY, FEB. 12th
10:00AM-2:00PM
AFA HEALTH SCREENING DAY
The Alzheimer’s Foundation of America (AFA) is inviting Long Islanders to get free health screenings. The event takes place at the AFA Barbara Rabinowitz Education and Resource Center, 149 Schleigel Boulevard in Amityville. Open to the public and free of charge. First-come, first-served basis; no appointments required. For more information, contact the AFA Barbara Rabinowitz Education & Resource Center at 631-223-4000
FRIDAY, FEB. 13th, and SATURDAY, FEB. 14th Friday 7:30AM, Saturday 1:30PM
VALENTINE’S CABARET DINNER & SHOW
Celebrate St. James, in partnership with the director and cast of Lighthouse Repertory Theater, is presenting a special Valentine’s Cabaret fundraiser. The talented cast is generously donating their time and talent to support the restoration of the historic Calderone Theatre. Performances will be held at Celebrate St. James, located in the historic Calderone Theatre at 176 Second Street in St. James. All proceeds support ongoing theatre restoration efforts. For tickets and more information, please visit www. celebratestjames.org.
THURSDAY, FEB. 19th
10:00AM-12:00PM
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
WINTER BIRD WALK: FAMILY PROGRAM
2026 Robert Moses State Park in Babylon, Winter Environmental Event Winter on the beach is one of the best birding times of the year! Dress for the weather and we will be walking on sand. Bring binoculars. Reservations required: Visit Eventbrite.com and search #NatureEdventure. If you are unable to keep your reservation, please call or cancel so others may have the opportunity to attend.
SATURDAY, FEB. 21st
1:00PM–4:00pm HOLIDAY CHEER BUS AWARDS CEREMONY KiDS NEED MoRE will host its Holiday Cheer Bus Awards Ceremony to celebrate the volunteers, fundraisers, donors, sponsors, and community partners who made the holiday season possible. The event honors the “elves” behind the scenes who helped spread cheer to children and families across Long Island. Carney’s Irish Pub & Restaurant, 136 Broadway in Amityville. For more information, visit kidsneedmore.org.
7:00PM-11:00PM DANCE TO THE OLDIES
Will be held at the Wade-Burns VFW 7279, 560 N. Delaware Avenue in Lindenhurst. Tickets $40.00 pp includes: Hero sandwich, Macaroni and Potato salad, Tap beer, House Wine, Soda, coffee, Tea, Dessert.
Music by DJ Ralph. Call Dot Kelly at 631-957-6574 for ticket availability. Must be 18 or older to attend.
SUNDAY, FEB. 22nd
1:30PM–3:00pm BLACK EXPERIENCES IN THE REVOLUTIONARY WAR LECTURE
The New York State Parks’ Interpreter for African American History will present a special lecture program called “Black Experiences in the Revolutionary War” at Bethpage State Park’s Heritage Club in the Lenox Room. Reservations are required. To register, please visit Eventbrite.com and search by program title or #NatureEdventure. For questions, please call 631-581-1072
WEDNESDAY, FEB. 25th 7:00PM
BOY BAND & POP DIVA MUSIC BINGO 317 Main Street in Farmingdale. All winners will receive a prize! Reserve your spot now and purchase your ticket! 21+ / Limited menu available during the event. For more information, please call 631-9214670
THRU SAT. FEB. 28th 11:00AM-4:00PM HIDDEN HEARTS SCAVENGER HUNT At The Whaling Museum & Education Center, 301 Main St. in Cold Spring Harbor. Find the hidden hearts and snag a prize! Free Event. For more information, please call 631-367-3418
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West Islip Musicians Selected For Mid-Island Band Festival
Nineteen West Islip High School musicians were selected for the 67th annual Mid-Island Band Festival. These accomplished musicians recently performed in Port Jefferson along with the top band students from Suffolk
County! Congratulations to the following studentmusicians: Ellie Connors, Delilah D'Amico, William DeWitt, Leah DiBernardo, Alyssa Dilan, Colin German, Sydney Krowles, Jensen Langhorn, Avery Mauchan, Zachary McGrath, Adrianna
Nelson, Owen Okurowski, Luna Pankratz, Owen Pellati, Chloe Srubar, Mikayla Stabenau, Colin Stueber, Lilybeth Tarantino and Willow Vaughan. Photo courtesy of West Islip Union Free School District
State Utilities is a major oil dealer on Long Island providing heating fuel to residents and businesses in Nassau and Suffolk County; we offer on-line fuel ordering, delivery, and full service heating oil contracts.
State Utilities takes pride in supplying fuel you need to heat your home and/or office to the comfort level you desire. Winter can be long and brutal, and should your burner fail to start it can become a crucial disaster. It is comforting to have full service during this disruption by contacting us by telephone or Email, no matter what the weather outside.
Celebrating 74 years in business, we are grateful to the many generations of loyal customers who have entrusted State Utilities with their interior comfort. Thank you.
Assemblyman Durso Announces Scholarship Opportunity
New York State Assemblyman Michael Durso announced that the New York Conference of Italian American State Legislators is now accepting applications for academic and athletic scholarships with an award amount of $3,000 each.
Scholarships are available to residents of the 9th Assembly District who are current college students or high school
seniors entering college. Applicants do not need to be of Italian American heritage to apply.
Students can access and complete the application by visiting: https://www. nyiacsl.org/apply-forscholarship-form
The application deadline is Monday, March 16, 2026.
“This is an excellent opportunity for high school seniors and college
students in the 9th Assembly District who have worked hard, distinguished themselves from their peers and intend to pursue higher education,” said Assemblyman Durso.
“With college costs on the rise, these scholarships can help reduce the financial burden for so many young people and their families. I encourage eligible students in my district to apply.”
The New York
Conference of Italian American State Legislators is a bipartisan organization of state Assembly and Senate members who actively promote and celebrate the state’s Italian American community. For additional information, or to inquire if the student lives in the 9th Assembly District, please call Assemblyman Durso’s office at 516-5414598.
BENEDETTO’S HEART
CATERING
Winter Senior Advocate Schedules
Suffolk Legislator Tom Donnelly (D-Deer Park) is pleased to inform Islip residents about the local Suffolk County Office for the Aging Winter 2026 Senior Advocate Schedule. Senior advocates are County representatives who come out into the community and assist seniors with information gathering, completion of eligibility or recertification applications and referrals to appropriate community agencies.
“It is so important for us to provide our senior citizens with the assistance and information they need in ways that are most convenient to them. These visits allow our seniors to connect with our County’s senior advocates right in their own communities,” said Legislator Donnelly. “I hope all those interested in the services that the Suffolk County Office for the Aging provides will take advantage of this opportunity.”
This winter, Senior Advocates will be visiting the following locations in the Town of Islip:
• Bay Shore Library,
1 S. Country Road, Brightwaters: Friday, March 20, 10 am – 12 pm
• Bishop McGann Housing, 200 Bishop McGann Drive, Central Islip: Mondays, February 23 & March 30, 10 am – 12 pm
• Brentwood Senior Nutrition, 16 Second Avenue, Brentwood: Fridays, February 13 & March 13, 11:30 am – 1:30 pm
• Connetquot Library, 760 Ocean Ave, Bohemia: Thursday, March 12, 10 am – 12 pm
• Islip Library, 71 Monell Avenue, Islip: Monday, March 9, 10 am – 12 pm
• St. Anne’s Gardens, 80100 2nd Avenue, Brentwood: Thursday, February 19, 8:30 am – 12 pm
Advocates assist with the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP – formerly known as food stamps), Medicare Savings Program and Heating Emergency Assistance Program (HEAP) applications. They also can provide information on Medicare, answer questions and make recommendations
and referrals. For more information about available services or directions to any of these locations, please call the Suffolk County Office for the Aging at (631) 853-8200.
“For more than three decades, the Suffolk County Office for the Aging has been providing full and trouble-free access to critical services,” Donnelly said. “I am glad to see their great professional community outreach program continue and hope that every senior resident will make full use of it.”
# # #
Suffolk County Legislator Tom Donnelly represents the 17th Legislative District, which includes parts of Baywood, Deer Park, Dix Hills, Huntington, Melville, North Babylon, North Bay Shore and South Huntington. He is a member of the Budget & Finance, Fire, Rescue, EMS & Preparedness, Public Safety, Seniors & Human Services and Ways & Means committees of the Suffolk County Legislature.
Replace January’s Resolutions With February’s Intentions
By JoAnn Cilla
This month, a familiar feeling is setting in for many people. The 2026 calendar is still shiny and new, but the New Year’s resolutions you made with so much energy and optimism in December are already broken or holding on for dear life. You are still paying for a gym membership but haven’t gone since the second week of the year. The 2026 monthly budget you spent hours working on is busted, and your motivation for change has been replaced by guilt. This is usually the moment when people decide they have failed and quietly give up until next January. January was never meant to be a verdict on your entire year. It is just one step on a 12-step staircase. Just because you slipped on the first step doesn’t mean you have to fall down the entire staircase.
Resolutions tend to be rigid. Lose 20 pounds. Save more money. Be less stressed. The problem is that resolutions often demand
Black Experiences In The Revolutionary War Lecture At Bethpage State Park
New York State Parks celebrates America’s SemiQuincentennial.
On Sunday, February 22nd, the New York State Parks’ Interpreter for
African American History will present a special lecture program called “Black Experiences in the Revolutionary War”. The program will be held from 1:30 – 3:00pm at Bethpage State Park’s Heritage Club in the Lenox Room.
JOANN CILLA
perfection from day one, at the exact moment when our lives are still playing catchup after the holidays. One missed week, and we are ready to quit.
Intentions work differently. An intention is a direction, not a mandate. It invites progress instead of punishment. Intentions understand that there is no straight line to success or happiness; we will have good days and bad days. If we fall down a step with our intentions, we simply get back up and keep walking. February is the perfect time to reset. The noise of January has faded. The pressure to reinvent yourself overnight is gone. You can take what you learned last month and adjust your goals without drama. Maybe the intention is to move
your body more, instead of committing to a daily workout you secretly dread. Maybe it is to be more thoughtful with money, instead of swearing off every small pleasure.
Another benefit is that intentions do not have to last all year. Some of the most effective ones are short. They could be a month, ninety days, or even just a few weeks. Shorter intentions feel manageable and achievable, which builds confidence. Confidence is what carries you forward, not willpower alone.
Intentions also evolve. What you need in February may look different by June. When you give yourself permission to revisit and refine your intentions, you stay engaged instead of defeated.
If your resolutions fell apart in January, don’t write 2026 off. Replace last month’s resolutions with February intentions that fit the season you are in right now. A year shaped by intention often lasts much longer than one ruled by resolutions.
Program Description: The Revolutionary War was more than battles. It was about people. Those saying no to England also said they did not want to be treated like slaves. Yet, many of them in New York, from the elite class down to tenant
farmers were enslavers. Blacks became soldiers for both sides. Black women and children were both laborers and refugees. This program takes a look at the Black faces of the war, people who traditionally have been left out of the story. Presented by Lavada Nahon, Interpreter of African American. Reservations are required. To register, please visit Eventbrite.com and search by program title or #NatureEdventure. For questions, please call (631) 581-1072. TO PLACE YOUR AD PLEASE CALL 631-226-2636
Did You Know?
Only certain veterans can get the complete comprehensive caregiver benefit package through the VA. DAV (Disabled American Veterans) is working to change these laws and correct this inequity. Many Americans are asking their legislators where they stand on the issue.
CHAPERONES WANTED
Pick The Perfect Valentine’s Day Flowers
Valentine’s Day is steeped in tradition. Giving flowers is a popular tradition each February 14, and the National Retail Federation estimates that people spend around $2.6 billion on flowers for Valentine’s Day, when an estimated 250 million stems of flowers are sold globally. Valentine’s Day is the most lucrative day for florists, with the red rose the most popular flower given on this day for lovebirds.
Just because millions of roses are prepared in advance of Valentine’s Day sales doesn’t mean this is the type of flower that one has to choose for a bouquet or arrangement. A surprise bouquet can feature unique blooms. Here are tips to give the perfect bouquet to the person who claims your heart.
• Identify your loved one’s favorite colors and flowers. Understanding your partner’s floral preferences is the first step in choosing a Valentine’s Day arrangement. Some people love bright daffodils, while others like exotic lilies. Pay attention to these likes to select flowers that will delight your partner.
• Select fresh flowers. When buying flowers in person, make sure they
are fresh by gently feeling the part of the petal that meets the stem. If this part is firm, then the flower is fresh.
• Opt for neutral tones. If you’re unsure of which flowers to buy, stick with varietals in white and soft, neutral tones. Bright, high-contrast florals may come off as tacky unless you can guarantee that the person prefers them.
• Keep allergies in mind. Valentine’s Day should be about offering love, not a case of the sniffles. If the person in your life suffers from floral allergies, avoid certain blooms, like sunflowers, chrysanthemums and hyacinths, suggests Funny How Flowers Do That, a United Kingdom-based flower company. Tulips, irises and hydrangea are less likely to cause an allergic reaction.
• Order early. Time is of the essence when getting flowers for Valentine’s Day. Florists may rush or have fewer flowers to work with as Valentine’s Day draws closer. Ordering well in advance means you’ll get your desired arrangement.
Love Where You Live Love Where You Live
