January 18, 2023 Islip

Kindergartners Bring Holiday Spirit To Police Precincts

Kindergartners in Meagan Faughnan’s class at East Islip’s Connetquot Elementary School made holiday cards for police officers in the Suffolk County 3rd Precinct and the New York Police

Department’s 83rd Precinct and Emergency Service Unit, where some students’ parents work.

“My students and I thought it would be special to spread the holiday spirit amongst the brave

men and women who help keep our community safe,” Faughnan said. “The police officers were all very thankful for our generosity.”

Properly Retiring The American Flag

PROPERLY RETIRING THE AMERICAN FLAG

BRINGING HOLIDAY SPIRIT TO POLICE PRECINCTS -

Kindergartners in Meagan Faughnan’s class at East Islip’s Connetquot Elementary School made holiday cards for police officers in the Suffolk County 3rd Precinct as well as the New York Police Department’s 83rd Precinct and Emergency Service Unit. Photo courtesy of East Islip School District

- “The American flag, when it is in such condition that it is no longer a fitting emblem for display, should be destroyed in a dignified way, preferably by burning” After an in-person meeting with Shannon Jones, Cemetery Representative of Long Island National Cemetery, Post 76 delivered flags that were brought and stored at the post for a proper retirement at Pinelawn. The flags were accepted by Rob Donnelly, Cemetery Caretaker Supervisor on January 4th. He assured us they would be retired in the proper manner after they are transported to Calverton National Cemetery at a future date. There is a drop box by the front door of the post, located at 44 West Main Street in Bay Shore, for flags that need to be retired. Shown here in front of a truckload of flags are Robert Barcone, Bill DeNatalie PC, and Patrick Warner.

Vendors Wanted!!!!

AMVETS LADIES

AUXILIARY #18, East Islip, is having a Craft and Vendor Sale as a fundraiser on: Saturday, April 1, 2023 from 10:00am - 4:00pm.

Located at the : AMVETS HALL, 141 Carleton Avenue, in East Islip.

This is an inside event. This is their annual Spring Fundraiser. Cost is: $50 (They supply table and 2 chairs)

For info. or application please call 631.277.9842 or email gcm42@aol.com.

My Grandkids

(NAPSI)— A simple, free and user-friendly mobile app lets families share and relive daily experiences and special moments with loved ones even thousands of miles apart with just a click. Called My Grandkids, it’s available in the Apple Store and on Google Play.

Helping You Help Others

The Charity of the Month for January is Pal-O-Mine Equestrian

Pal-O-Mine Equestrian is a local non-profit organization that began in 1995 as a therapeutic horseback riding program for individuals with disabilities and other vulnerable populations. They grew from having two programs, eight horses and 80 students per week to 11 programs, 25 horses and 400 students per week - and they continue to grow today!

“2023 will be a year of physical growth with our new educational center and treatment clinic, as well as spiritual growth by continuing to serve the many who need our 13 acre farm and herd to help them heal from trauma, grow in personal strength and learn new things to brighten their future,” said Lisa Gatti, Founder of Pal-O-Mine Equestrian. The organization will be o ering various events throughout 2023, some of which are noted below.

February 15th they will kick-o a 3 month virtual Hay Drive Fundraiser. “We’ve been holding this Fundraiser once a year for 3 years now because in the last few years the cost of hay has tripled,” said Lisa. “Every penny donated through this fundraiser goes directly to helping us buy hay for our herd. I’d like to warmly thank everyone in advance for their support and donations, it truly helps us more than you know.” This year they are proud to o er a new text to donate feature. More information is available on their website (www.pal-o-mine.org).

Additionally, May 3rd through May 7th from 9:30AM-2:30PM they are holding their annual J-STEP Spring Craft Fair at their farm, located at 829 Old Nichols Road in Islandia.

J-STEP, which stands for Job Security Through Equine Partnership, is their Vocational Program. The program o ers a paid internship that runs 5 days per week for people with disabilities who are 18 years or older. Every item showcased at this fair is handcrafted by the J-STEP interns.

Lastly, May 4th from 6PM-9PM they will hold a Stable Spirits Art Show and Auction in their barn. This will be a night you won’t want to miss, filled with local wine and cheese, creativity and philanthropy! Pal-O-Mine will proudly feature up and coming artists in individual “stalls” in the barn and proceeds from each sale will go towards building their new educational center and clinic.

If you are interested in finding out more about their J-STEP Program or learning about the opportunity to have your art displayed at the Stable Spirits Art Show, contact Tessa at TessaVF@pal-o-mine. org. For more general information about Pal-O-Mine, call 631-348-1389, visit their website (www.pal-o-mine.org), Like them on Facebook and Follow them on Instagram.

Fundraiser To Support East Islip St. Patrick’s Day Parade Is Set

The Local Hibernians Inc. are pleased to announce that the annual John P. Reilly East Islip St. Patrick’s Day Parade will be held on Sunday, March 5, 2023, led by the parade’s Grand Marshal, Tom McHugh, and the Ladies Aide to the Grand Marshal, Patricia Fitzpatrick. The parade will step off at 2:00 pm

from the East Islip Public Library and travel west to the grandstand at St. Mary’s RC Church.

A fundraiser to support the parade will be held on Sunday, February 5, 2023, from 2 PM-5 PM at Harp & Hound in Islip. A $20 donation at the door includes assorted appetizers, live music by J&D Acoustics, and a cash

bar. There will also be raffle baskets and a 50/50 raffle.

For more information about the parade or the fundraiser, you can contact localhibernians@ gmail.com. You can also find us on Instagram & Twitter @eiparade and Facebook: East Islip St. Patrick’s Day Parade.

DIRECTORY

631-226-2636,

TO place an ad in the CLASSIFIED section, call 631-226-2636, press “2” A

TO place an ad in the CLASSIFIED section, call 631-226-2636, press “2” A sales representative will be happy to assist you

TO place an ad in the CLASSIFIED section, call 631-226-2636, press “2” A sales representative will be happy to assist you

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Hints For Home Buyers

Debunking The Five Myths That Deter

(NAPSI)—Buying a home can seem daunting, especially for first-time homebuyers facing record housing prices, tight supply, and rising interest rates. Quite often, misconceptions about homeownership discourage prospective buyers from starting a search even before it begins.

The good news is homeownership can be much closer than you think. Lisa Frison, Head of Financial Inclusion and Racial Equity at Citi, recalls that growing up her parents rented their home for years before eventually becoming firsttime homebuyers. “Even so, I found myself struggling to understand what I needed to do and what resources were available to me when I was ready to buy my first home nearly a decade later,” she says. Here Frison debunks these Top 5 Myths to help you get on track to building generational wealth through homeownership.

1. I Don’t Have Credit (a FICO Score). Nearly 11% of Americans (50 million people) are “credit invisible,” according to the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency, meaning they have no or limited credit history. This disproportionately affects diverse and underserved communities. To help, Citi’s

HomeRun mortgage program offers non-traditional ways to demonstrate credit readiness, such as providing proof of paying rent, utilities or other monthly payments.

2. I Don’t Have Enough Money Saved. You may have more money than you think. Many banks offer programs for new homebuyers that do not require mortgage insurance for those qualifying. Also, HomeRun has some mortgages for as little as 3% down, with a minimum 1% borrower contribution. This, along with the bank’s Lender Paid Assistance, which provides up to $7,500 closing cost funds that do not need to be paid back, saves qualifying borrowers thousands of dollars in closing costs, helping them afford more house. These programs are offered only in select markets and have income limitations.

3. I Should Start House Hunting with a Realtor. It seems logical to begin with a real estate agent but your best bet may be to start with your lender, who can explore homebuyer assistance programs with you and give you a realistic view of what you can afford through a prequalification or pre-approval. A real estate agent will then narrow the search to help you find the right home for you and your budget.

(NAPSI)—“Unless you are trying to defrost the windshield or warm the interior of your car, idling is not required for today’s vehicles,” explains the non-profit Car Care Council. For a free copy of its Car Care Guide, visit www. carcare.org.

Better Heart Health

(NAPSI)—The National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute created With Every Heartbeat Is Life, to help African Americans have better heart health. Learn more at hearttruth.gov.

Homeownership

4. I Earn Too Much to Qualify for Assistance. Lender assistance programs may be more expansive than you think, especially in response to inflation and rising home prices. For example, Citi has increased lending assistance to borrowers with income up to 120% of median income— up from 80% of the median local income. The bank’s loan officers can tell customers where their income is relative to the local median family income and also whether a property is located in an eligible census tract.

5. I Should Keep Renting Because I Missed the Market and Now I’m Priced Out. Firsttime or affordable homebuyer programs can help you get on the path to buying a home you can afford. Remember, a home is more than a place to live and build memories—it is a way to build wealth that you can pass on to future generations. That’s something you can’t achieve by renting.

Learn More

For more information, visit www.citi.com/mortgage/ community-lendinghomerun.

Recycling Is Good For The Economy

The statistics are in… recycling is not only good for the environment, but also for the economy. And a standout economic success story in recycling is HELPSY!

The environmental benefits of recycling are well documented and by themselves warrant a more sustainable lifestyle. With information gathered by the Recycling Economic Information Project (REI), an organization created in 2001 to encourage the development of an economic market for recycling and supported by the EPA, it is proven beyond a doubt that recycling not only conserves natural resources

but recycling also strengthens our economy by creating jobs, wages and creating tax revenue.

A 2020 REI report showed the recycling industry (including glass, paper, plastics, rubber, electronics, organic and construction and demolition materials) across the board created 681,000 jobs, $37.8 billion in wages, and $5.5 billion in tax revenue. Furthermore, on average… 1.17 jobs were created for every 1000 tons of recycled materials.

Rising above the rest by comparison, with 270 employees, HELPSY is the largest clothing collection

company on the East Coast and collects 15,000 tons of textiles every year…amounting to 18 jobs for every 1000 tons.

“HELPSY’s environmental mission is to radically change the way people think about clothing reuse and recycling. In the process of serving this mission, it has created hundreds of living wage jobs, saved municipalities millions of dollars in disposal fees, and has reduced the enormous environmental burden of the second most polluting industry in the world,” says Dan Green, Co-Founder and CEO of HELPSY.

Over the past year, HELPSY has worked with 113 municipal

recycling departments and collected approximately 1.7 million pounds of textiles from those collaborations. Through a combination of clothing drives, home pick-ups, thrift store partners and clothing receptacles located in 10 states, HELPSY diverts nearly 30 million pounds of textiles from landfills every year.

Considering those numbers, recycling clothes makes sense both environmentally and financially. For additional information about HELPSY or to join in our environmental preservation efforts, contact info@helpsy.co.