November 30, 2022 South Bay Shore

Monday, November 21, Noelle Lambert and The Bryn Elliott Team launched a Holiday Donation Drive, benefitting the Long Island Coalition for the Homeless.

drive has five dropoff locations and will run through December 19th.

from left to right: Noelle Lambert, Licensed Real Estate Salesperson and Bryn Elliott, Licensed Associate Real Estate Broker. See inside for more information.

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Scouts BSA Troops 43 & 430 Thank Our Veterans

In honor of Veterans Day on the 11th hour of the 11th day of the 11th month of 2022, Troops 43 & 430 participated in the AMVETS Post 76 of Bay Shore’s Veterans Day Ceremony where we Thank and Recognize all members of the Armed Forces of America, both past and present for their dedication to the defense of our country and the preservation of

our freedoms. The annual ceremony was held at Bay Shore’s Memorial Park. Additionally, members of Troop 430 of Bay Shore and Cub Pack 38 of Islip Terrace performed a beautification service project at the Northport Veterans Affairs Medical Center to Thank our Veterans. In the weeks preceding Veterans Day members of T430 devoted their meeting time to painting rocks

with messages that display patriotism and scout spirit. These were placed on Veterans Day to say Thanks to All the Veterans that visit the center.

For more information about scouting on long island visit: https://www. sccbsa.org/

For more information about Scouts BSA Troop 43 visit: http:// troop0043bayshore. ScoutLander.com

Girls Volleyball Raises Awareness About Mental Health

On Monday, November 21, 2022, Noelle Lambert and The Bryn Elliott Team launched a Holiday Donation Drive, benefitting the Long Island Coalition for the Homeless, an organization that strives to end homelessness on Long Island, and to alleviate the issues associated with homelessness and poverty for homeless and at risk persons in Nassau and Suffolk Counties.

“I’ve always been passionate about helping others, but more specifically assisting the homeless is really important to me,” said Noelle, Licensed Real Estate Salesperson with Douglas Elliman Real Estate. “When you strip away all the excess and get down to the basics - the minimum that one should have in order to put their best foot forward every day - what remains is a home, along with food, and the like. There are countless people struggling and facing homelessness right now on Long Island and it just feels like the right thing to do to help them.”

The drive will run through December 19th and has five drop-off locations throughout Long Island. “This year the organization is desperately in need of non perishable food and personal care items,” said Bryn Elliott, Licensed Associate Real Estate Broker with The Bryn Elliott Team at Douglas Elliman Real Estate. “They’re also looking for clothing, socks and winter coats. We’re hopeful that this drive will make a difference by helping people who need it; especially during the toughest time of the year to be homeless.”

Every donation truly does make a difference. “We thank everyone in advance for their participation,” said Noelle. “We’re so appreciative of each business that has let us use their establishment as a drop-off location.” If you have any questions, please contact Noelle Lambert at 631.478.3819 or Bryn

at 631.332.8899. For more information about the Long Island Coalition for the Homeless, visit www. addressthehomeless.org.

About The Fish Store: The Fish Store is a family run business that opened its doors in 1978. Their market and restaurant in Bayport offers fresh food options and is beloved by many. They are the proud winners of Bethpage Best of Long Island’s #1 Best Fish Market on Long Island for 9 years in a row.

About USA Auto Body: USA Auto Body is a fullservice auto body repair shop in East Patchogue. Their trained professionals can complete your automobile restoration to manufacturerspecified standards and they are ready to make your car shine!

About Long Island Media Group: Long Island Media Group is a locally owned and operated media company that has been publishing since 1953. Today they publish the South Bay’s Neighbor, Neighbor Newspapers, Seasons Magazine, along with many other specialty products. They also offer digital marketing services.

About Douglas Elliman Real Estate: Douglas Elliman leads the New York real estate market by sales volume, and ranks as one of the nation’s largest independent residential real estate brokerages by the same measure. From sales, rentals and new development to mortgages and title insurance, their agents are relentless advocates for their clients.

With Winter Heating Season Nearing, PSEG Long Island Customers May Be Eligible For Assistance

As winter heating season approaches, PSEG Long Island recognizes that many households are facing challenging times and wants to remind its customers that programs exist to help people struggling with utility bills. There are also many ways they can lower their bills by using energy wisely.

“Everything is more expensive today, and PSEG Long Island continues to work hard to provide our customers with safe, reliable energy at the lowest possible cost,” said Lou DeBrino, PSEG Long Island’s vice president of Customer Services.

“To help manage energy use and costs, we offer resources, tips and a variety of energy efficiency programs. We also know many of our customers are struggling to pay bills, and we encourage them to reach out to us to enroll in a deferred payment agreement and learn about available financial assistance programs.

Colder weather is coming, which will mean higher heating costs. We urge our customers to act now, and we’re here to help.”

The costs associated with purchasing fuel for electric power supply are directly passed through to the customers. With energy costs rising due to global conflict, inflation, and high demand as the winter heating season approaches, PSEG Long Island understands the impact this increased financial burden can have on its customers.

In accordance with a policy established by the LIPA Board of Trustees, a hedging program is in place to reduce the volatility of power supply costs for customers. Hedging provides price stability in case of unforeseen commodity market and weather events that drive up prices. In addition,

PSEG Long Island and LIPA work to further mitigate the monthly volatility to customers as costs materialize.

How Customers Can Lower Their Bills

The most effective thing customers can to do lower their bills is to use electricity more efficiently. Here are some helpful tips:

• Replace inefficient incandescent light bulbs with LED bulbs since, according to the U.S. Department of Energy, lighting accounts for about 15% of the electricity used in the home, and LEDs use up to 90% less energy and last up to 25 times longer.

• Use a programmable thermostat to automatically manage your home’s heating and cooling needs.

ENERGY STAR estimates that properly used programmable thermostats can save the average American household about $180 a year. In addition, PSEG Long Island offers rebates on smart thermostats.

• Lower your thermostat by just one degree to potentially reduce your heating bill. Lowering it two degrees during the day and five to 10 degrees at night will save even more.

• Install timers and motion detectors to automatically manage indoor and outdoor lighting and help ensure lights are not on when they’re not needed.

• Ceiling fans can be used to save energy in winter. Setting a fan to rotate clockwise on low pulls cool air toward the ceiling, pushing warm air down into a room.

• Seal windows and doorframes with

weather stripping or caulk, and remove or cover window air conditioners to help to prevent drafts that waste energy and money.

• Reduce “phantom power” by using energy efficient power strips or unplugging electronic devices when they’re not in use. Items plugged into outlets use electricity even when they’re turned off.

• Install a high efficiency air source heat pump (ASHP) to lower energy usage, save money and provide greater comfort in cold and hot months. Robust rebates are available from PSEG Long Island’s Home Comfort Program for ducted ASHP units, ducted geothermal heat pumps and ductless mini split systems. Additionally, PSEG Long Island’s Home Comfort PLUS program offers enhanced rebates for customers who meet certain income qualifications.

• More money-saving ideas and rebate information are available at https:// www.psegliny.com/ saveenergyandmoney/ energystarrebates.

Assistance Available To Those Struggling With Bills

PSEG Long Island wants to work with any customer struggling to pay their bills and help them find a solution. The company encourages anyone with a past-due account balance to call 1-800-490-0025 so a representative can help them develop a deferred payment agreement tailored to the needs of their household.

Additionally, PSEG Long Island wants to make customers aware of the financial assistance

programs offered by New York State:

· The New York State Electric and Gas Bill Relief Program: Customers enrolled in PSEG Long Island’s Household Assistance Program will automatically receive a credit toward their arrears as of May 1, 2022, via this new, state-run program. Customers who meet the eligibility requirements and have not yet enrolled in the Household Assistance Program have until Dec. 31, 2022 to enroll in the Household Assistance Program to qualify for this bill credit.

· Customers who have received a payment on their PSEG Long Island account through the New York State-administered Emergency Rental Assistance Program (ERAP) also qualify for the New York State Electric and Gas Bill Relief Program. As ERAP payments continue to be received, the New York State Electric and Gas Bill Relief Program will remain open through Dec. 31, 2022.

The Home Energy Assistance Program (HEAP) can provide a heating fuel grant to

eligible homeowners and renters depending on income, household size and how they heat their home. A family of four may have a maximum gross monthly income of $5,485 and still qualify for benefits. This benefit is scheduled to open on Nov. 1. For more information, visit https://otda.ny.gov/ programs/heap/.

Emergency HEAP, a subset of the HEAP program, offers eligible customers a grant to help low- and middle-income New Yorkers avoid having their home heating disconnected or exhausting their heating fuel source. This emergency portion of HEAP is scheduled to open on Jan. 3, 2023. If customers are experiencing an emergency, they can apply for this benefit by reaching out to their local Department of Social Services location, which can be found here: https:// otda.ny.gov/programs/ heap/contacts/

· For low-income house-holds facing noheat situations, the State Office of Temporary and Disability Assistance is also accepting applications

for its heating equipment repair or replacement benefit. Eligible homeowners can now apply for up to $4,000 for repair or $8,000 for replacement of a furnace, boiler or other direct heating equipment necessary to keep the household’s primary heating source working. Additionally, eligible households can receive energy efficiency services, which includes the cleaning of primary heating equipment to allow for its safe and efficient operation. Customers can apply for this benefit by reaching out to their local Department of Social Services location, which can be found here: https:// otda.ny.gov/programs/ heap/contacts/

Customers who apply for and receive one of these state or federal benefits are automatically placed on PSEG Long Island’s Household Assistance rate and the residential energy affordability program providing energy efficiency measures and suggestions to help lower consumption.

www.mhaw.org

Among its wide range of mentalhealth-related services, MHAW offers many forms of assistance for veterans in Suffolk County. These offerings address affordable housing, medical and mental health assistance, peer support, and other services.

To allow readers to get a humanscale picture of the real-life ways that MHAW supports local veterans in need, here are the stories of “John” and “Mary.”

“John” had served our country for more than eight years as a Marine, including witnessing the aftermath of the Beirut barracks bombings in 1983 that had killed 241 American personnel and dozens of others.

He proceeded to face major difficulty adapting to post-service life, and used food to help him cope. John became significantly overweight and homeless, with a hotel as his residence for two years. It was nearly impossible to find a house that accommodated his needs until he connected with “Housing Our Homeless Heroes,” an initiative that helps veterans regain their sense of independence with supportive housing.

Happily, John is now living in a stabilized environment with dignity and respect.

As a second example, “Mary” had been discharged from the service last August, had no income, nowhere to go, and unfortunately was living in her car. She reached out to the Supportive Services for Veteran Families program, run in collaboration with the Economic

Opportunity Council (EOC) of Suffolk, a Patchoguebased social services organization.

Mary worked with

the SSVF team to locate and obtain permanent housing. She also worked with a case manager and a health care navigator to apply for the VA’s service-connected disability program, where she was approved for 100-percent compensation. Mary was also connected to the Northport VA Medical Center, where she began receiving health care. In addition, Mary worked with an employment specialist who assisted her with her resume, job search, and interview prep.

As a result, Mary ultimately secured a full-time job. She has expressed her gratefulness to MHAW and to EOC of Suffolk for the critical assistance she received at the time when she needed it most.

After all they have given to America, our veterans deserve support from all of us here in Suffolk County and across the nation. With this in mind, we urge you to play a role in introducing local veterans in need to MHAW.

If you know such a veteran, have them contact Marcelle Leis, MHAW’s Director of Veteran Services, by calling 631-946-0147, or by emailing mleis@ mhaw.org. If your nonprofit would like to be featured in this column, please call Noelle Lambert at 631.226.2636 x225 for consideration.

TO

Visiting The Fire Island Lighthouse

Fifth Avenue Hosts Book Fair

Insurance Tips And Information

Shopping for Insurance

Are you old enough to remember the Sym’s slogan, “An educated consumer is our best customer?” Do you do your homework before you shop? Are you a coupon clipper? An Amazon addict?

Getting a good quote on your Auto insurance is not simply a matter of being accident free. ALL insurance companies have algorithms that rate some criteria higher than others. What is your credit score? How long do you remain with an insurer before

leaving for a lower price? What amount of coverage do you currently maintain?

There are many, many things that tell insurers

about you and help them predict whether you will be a good client. The insurers crunch numbers to gauge how much of a risk you’ll be. We all are aware of that. But they also predict how profitable you will be over a number of years.

Want to learn what will make you an attractive customer? Speak to an agent. Be respectful of the agent’s knowledge. You’ll likely learn that the agent isn’t simply a salesman. They’re often impressive educators and fiscal watchdogs.

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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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PSEG Long Island EmployeeMilitary Veterans Shine A Light On PTSD And Veteran Suicide

SHINING A LIGHT ON PTSD AND VETERAN SUICIDE - A group of military veterans who are PSEG Long Island employees recently took to the water to raise awareness of mental health issues afflicting many veterans. The group was among 22 veterans participating in the fifth “22 PTSD Awareness Challenge” (22PAC) event, an arduous, 22-mile kayaking trip from Bridgeport, Conn. to Port Jefferson to help shine a light on veteran PTSD and end veteran suicide. Pictured (l-r): PSEG Long Island employee-military veterans Thomas Leuschner, Evan Rohman, Richard Rohman, Matthew Testagrose, Michael Probst, Devin McLaughlin, Michael Pira, Leo Tolson and Thomas Sketch after a 22-mile kayaking trip to increase awareness about PTSD and veteran suicide.

BIG BUDGET? SM ALL BUDGET? 631-226-2636, press 276

A group of military veterans who are PSEG Long Island employees recently took to the water to raise awareness of mental health issues afflicting many veterans. The group was among 22 veterans participating in the fifth “22 PTSD Awareness Challenge” (22PAC) event, an arduous, 22-mile kayaking trip from Bridgeport, Conn. to Port Jefferson to help shine a light on veteran PTSD and end veteran suicide.

In teams of two, the 22 veterans operated pedalpowered kayaks in a physically demanding, fivehour cross-Sound journey. The hot sun, humidity and headwinds made the trip that much more difficult.

The number 22 is significant for this event because it is the estimated number of military veterans who take their own lives each day.

Here’s what the employees had to say about the event:

Devin McLaughlin of East Moriches, a U.S. Marine Corps veteran, participated for the second time this year.

“Some people I met in the service are no longer with us because they lost their battles with depression,” said McLaughlin. “In a small way, doing this ride helps me think of them and lets me know I’m doing my part for them and for other veterans facing challenges.”

Michael Probst and Tom Leuschner, both U.S. Army veterans, are co-workers and Holbrook residents who supported the cause this year.

“I did the 22 PAC for my brothers and sisters in the armed forces and to support a great cause,” said Probst. “I hope this event helped to bring awareness to this issue because 22 veterans a day taking their own lives is completely unacceptable and preventable.”

“I was so proud to be a part of this great cause,” said Leuschner. “This is the least I could do for our veterans who have done so much for us.”

Tom Sketch of Seaford, a U.S. Navy veteran, was one of the kayakers.

“It’s a great event to bring awareness to the challenges

Place your ad in the Classi fieds 631 -2 26-2636 Ext. 27 6

veterans face after their service is completed,” said Sketch. “It was a little more difficult than I thought it would be but we had beautiful weather and I am glad I was able to complete it!”

Matt Testagrose of Shoreham, a U.S. Army veteran, participated in the event.

“It was great to see my fellow veterans and coworkers come together to show support for PTSD awareness,” he said.

Leo Tolson, a U.S. Marine Corps veteran from Center Moriches, said, “The trip was exhausting but I wanted to do something to help raise awareness of how many veterans need help.”

PSEG Long Island is proud to count military veterans among its workforce. Its employees are dedicated to providing customers with safe, reliable power and also committed to the communities they serve by engaging in community service activities and raising funds to support and help their neighbors.