_________________ bellmore ________________
June 26, 2025
HERALD
IS IT TIME FOR A HEARING CHECK-UP?
MAMS grads moving up
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GRADUATES 2025
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Vol. 28 No. 26
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Girl Scouts build memorial bridge at dog park amazing,” Montano said. “Thank you so much everybody in Bellmore for pitching A dog’s collar now hangs on in and helping us to make this a glossy rainbow bridge that accomplishment.” “We’ve been having fun — sits at the entrance of Bellmore’s Newbridge Road Dog that feels nice, and this is exciting,” Dinin agreed. “The Park. This bridge, installed by process of making this bridge members of Girl Scout Troop was wonderful. It was a won900 as a part of their Bronze derful feeling to make this Award Project, is a memorial bridge that will make owners for deceased pets made by the feel better about their past animals.” members of Girl Inspiration for Scout T roop 900. the project came The Bronze Award from a similar petProject is designed memorial installato challenge young tion in Lake Lure, scouts to meet new North Carolina. people, develop There were no confidence and to GABRIEllA local sites that m a ke a p o s i t ive MoNtANo paid respect to i m p a c t i n t h e i r Girl Scout fluffy family memcommunity. bers, which drove The troop held a ribbon cutting ceremony for the scouts to create their own. “We thought it would be the park’s new feature on May nice to have something here in 30. The scouts of Troop 900 are Long Island, so a lot of people Audriana Petruccelli, Saraph- who live closer to Long Island ina Dinin, Caylen Schauder, can come and put their collar G a b r i e l l a M o n t a n o, Ju l i a on it,” Schauder said. “I can’t Francis, Julianna Hartwig, believe it happened.” Troop Leader Carole KuhnMaya Smith, Lilyanna Massari and Samara Grunes, all Petruccelli expressed her gratfifth-grade students at Shore itude to all of the local businesses who suppor ted the Road Elementary School. “I think it’s amazing that troop’s progress. “We’d like to thank Buffs we got to donate all this stuff; I think that the dog bridge is Continued on page 2
By JoSEPH D’AlESSANDRo
jdalessandro@liherald.com
Courtesy PFY
attending pFY’s 2025 pride gala at Westbury Manor on June 4 were tawni J. engel, center, pFY associate executive director; Marsha Silverman, left, glen Cove city councilmember; and Juli grey-owens, gender equality new York executive director. grey-owens and Silverman were honored for their commitment to LgBtQ+ advocacy.
PFY: ‘Now More Than Ever’ Bellmore advocacy group emphasizes a call to action
By JACK SCHWED Intern
PFY, formerly Pride For Youth, a nonprofit dedicated to supporting the LGBTQ+ communities, hosts a fundraising gala each year to celebrate Pride, but this year’s event also served as a call to action. The PFY’s 2025 Pride Gala, dubbed “Now More Than Ever,” was held at the Westbury Manor on June 4. “Now, more than ever, not only does our agency need support, the whole community needs support,” Tawni J. Engel, PFY’s associate executive director, said. “We need people who are willing to speak up and speak out.” Engel is responsible for securing corporate sponsorships for PFY fundraising events, such as the gala. In the past, she said, the organiza-
tion has received large donations, but this year, many corporations pulled out, resulting in the loss of thousands of dollars. “That speaks to these corporations that were very much, just last June, waving their Pride flags on all of their marketing materials,” she said. “This year, they’ve completely pulled out and said, ‘No, we can’t put our face to this anymore because it’s too controversial.’” PFY has also been receiving hateful comments on social media, Engel added. “There’s a lot that we’re facing on a daily basis that is very, very stressful,” she said. “(But) it’s just the tip of the iceberg of what’s going on across the country right now.” At the gala, she aimed to educate attendees about the current political climate and its Continued on page 11
I
think it’s amazing…