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Kiwanis, Woman’s Club renovate Amityville Beach pavilion kitchen By CAROLYN JAMES cjames@liherald.com
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The Amityville Highland Pipe Band will be performing at Pearl Harbor on December 7.
Amityville Highland Pipe Band headed to Hawaii for WWII anniversary ceremonies By CAROLYN JAMES cjames@liherald.com
The Amityville American Legion Pipe Band will travel to Hawaii next month to perform in the Pearl Harbor Commemoration ceremonies and to recognize the 80th anniversary of the end of World War II. The invitation to take part in the ceremonies is a tremendous honor, said the band’s business manager, Christopher Zeller. “We were invited to Normandy two years ago and that was a tremendous experience,” said Zeller who added that band members are looking forward to performing in Hawaii December 7. “But to be asked twice is a real honor.” In a letter to the Pipe Band, Earl T. Hurrey, a retired U.S. Marine and chair of the event’s selection committee said: “We want to congratulate the Amityville American Legion Pipe Band for being invited as the official ambassador from New York to the 2025 Pearl Harbor Memorial Parade. This invitation is based on your outstanding performance in Normandy, France, for the D-Day Commemoration in 2023, and your continued commitment to honoring our veterans and
commemorating America’s important history.” Eighteen band members will be leaving December 5 and returning home December 9. Together with friends and family, the group will include about 50 people. “We are very excited and anxious to be there,” said Zeller, a U.S. Navy Veteran. He added that the band will also be part of a musical performance at the USS Missouri. Also known as the Amityville Highland Pipe Band, the group was founded in 1952 by 23 local World War II veterans. In its more than 70-year history, it has performed at the U.S. Military Academy at West Point, in New Orleans and Hawaii, in the New York City St. Patrick’s Day Parade, and at events across Long Island. The band operates out of Massapequa American Legion Post 1066 at 66 Veterans Blvd. in Massapequa. To help offset travel costs for the December ceremonies, the band is seeking donations. Contributions may be sent to the Amityville American Legion Pipe Band, 66 Veterans Blvd., Massapequa, NY 11758. Checks should be made payable to the Amityville American CONTINUED ON PAGE 5
Summertime gatherings at the Peter J. Pappas Pavilion at Amityville Beach will have a more welcoming feel next season, thanks to recent renovations led by the Amityville Kiwanis Club, with support from the Amityville Woman’s Club and the Village Department of Public Works. The volunteer-led effort transformed the service building at James A. Caples Memorial Park, upgrading its outdated utility sink and water heater into a more attractive and functional kitchen space for community use during events and rentals. “The Peter J. Pappas Pavilion is a great resource for the village, and we are grateful that the Kiwanis Club has adopted this service area in memory of its namesake, who was a distinguished former Kiwanian,” said Mayor Michael O’Neill. “We thank the Kiwanis Club for their outstanding contributions and the Amityville Woman’s Club for their additional support.” Peter J. Pappas was a longtime member of the Amityville Kiwanis Club and a well-respected figure in the village known for his dedication to public service and community betterment. A strong believer
in giving back, Pappas was active in numerous civic causes throughout his life, often volunteering behind the scenes to support youth programs, park beautification efforts and local families in need. Naming the beach pavilion in his honor was a way for the village and the club to recognize his legacy and the lasting impact he had on the community. The Peter J. Pappas Pavilion, located at James A. Caples Memorial Park at Amityville Beach, serves as both a gathering place and a tribute to a man whose life was rooted in service. His name continues to be associated with community, family and the spirit of volunteerism that defines Amityville. Dave Heller, a retired plumbing contractor and Kiwanis member, helped lead the renovation. He noted the pavilion’s previous kitchen setup was strictly industrial. “We replaced the old water heater and slop sink with a new, attractive kitchen set-up,” Heller said. “The new equipment and additional countertops made the space less industrial and more welcoming.” Kiwanis Club President Townsend Thorn, who also runs a local painting business, credited the team effort that kept the project on schedule without disCONTINUED ON PAGE 5