_________________ bellmore ________________
HERALD Now is the time to adopt a pet
local raises over $20,000
Isles distribute 200 meals
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Vol. 28 No. 49
DECEMBER 4 - 10, 2025
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Making friends, reading books, at locally run club members. Before her retirement, Kanner worked for decades as an For more than a decade, the office manager at a Freeport Monday Afternoon Book Dis- daycare center, and later as a cussion at the North Bellmore senior page at the East Meadow Public Library has been a hub Public Library. Now, the book of lively conversation, laughter club offers her exactly what she and connection for readers of needs: intellectual stimulation, all backgrounds. social engagement and a sense Led by longtime Bellmore of belonging. resident Stephanie Cohen, the “It’s important for people b o o k cl u b d r aw s my a g e who live members from alone to have someacross the area — one to say hello to, including Gold Kanto discuss a TV ner, a 94-year-old show, or just share a Wantagh resident thought,” she said. who has been attendCohen, a former ing for the past four teacher and longyears. time member of the “ B o o k c l u b i s GolD KANNER Friends of the wonderful for me L i b r a r y, w h i c h because there’s assists in fundraisother people to talk to and to ing events, has led the book listen to me,” Kanner said. “It’s club for more than a decade. a very infor mal group. We She carefully selects books enjoy each other’s company, from a wide range of sources — and we really get into the including The New York Times meanings of the books.” reviews — and emphasizes parA l i f e l o n g r e a d e r w h o ticipation over perfection. received her first library card “This is not a technical kind at age 8 in Brooklyn, Kanner of book discussion,” she said. has added her own brand of joy “We discuss what we liked, to the meetings. Her “silly what we didn’t like, what we verse” reflections, often written learned, what we understood, in rhyme, spark laughter and and then we apply it to our own fresh discussion among the
By HERNESTo GAlDAMEZ
hgaldamez@liherald.com
W
Courtesy Katelyn Dunn.
Austin Bird leads a physical education class, challenging peers with a new way of playing sports.
Student leads special sports class What wheelchairs can teach young athletes By JoSEPH D’AlESSANDRo jdalessandro@liherald.com
One of Merrick Avenue’s most courageous students took a teaching role in his school’s physical education classes, adding a unique twist. On Nov. 24 and 25, Austin Bird, an eighthgrade student athlete, led hundreds of students through basketball exercises, sprints and warmups with one major qualification: everything must be done in a wheelchair. Bird’s legs were paralyzed at age 6 due to a severe infection. This did not stop him from pursuing athletic interests. Today he is a highly active athlete, travelling for basketball and swimming programs, with greater ambitions to remove the stigma held towards adaptive sports. “I feel like there’s never enough kindness
for wheelchairs in the world, I will always want to change that,” Bird said. “We talked to the principal, and we were able to make it happen. I’m very happy that this happened and that it’s going so well.” Bird and his sister Shannon spoke with his school’s principal about a special program that could help students of different physical conditions reach a mutual understanding. During each class, Bird and his sister share their personal stories and how they wound up making this special P.E. class possible. “I’ve always wanted to spread kindness and wheelchair awareness,” he explained. “I always wanted to become someone who would make more ramps, make the world more accessible… (and) we always thought it’d be a good idea if we can get it into the Continued on pAge 6
e enjoy each other’s company.
Continued on pAge 8