INCORPORATING THE WEST HEMPSTEAD BEACON VOL. 75 No. 43
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Debacker’s local animal rescues a phone call away Debacker said. “I do take donations, but it’s all optional. If someone can’t afford my services, the animal won’t suffer. I’ll Whenever an animal is in distress, still catch the animal either way.” Indeed, he stops at nothing to protect John Debacker’s help is only a phone call away. A premier animal rescuer in the lives of misplaced critters. In 2023 the Town of Hempstead, he has a mis- he got a message describing feline screams coming from a tree in somesion to help every animal he can. Debacker, 32, who resides in Bell- one’s backyard. There, 40 feet in the air, more, lives alone with his four cats. He was a 6-week-old kitten. Debacker got his start as an animal rescuer climbed as high as he could, and the kitaround the time he graduated from Iris ten, as he tells it, leapt into his outWolfson High School in Greenvale in stretched hands. The cat now has a safe 2010. He saw that a neighbor had aban- and loving home. doned four cats when they moved away, “I’m available 24/7 for emergency and he volunteered to help catch them cases,” Debacker said. “If there’s a cat and finding them loving homes. stranded on the highway, I’m not gonna “We need more animal just say I’m busy — I’m rescuers in the world,” he gonna respond right away.” said. “There’s just not He responded to that enough of us. Unfortunately, exact circumstance not long people abandon cats every ago. One of Debacker’s wildday, every week. There’s est rescues involved a kitten never, never an excuse for trapped near a concrete animal abuse — there’s divider on the Wantagh State always resources, such as Parkway, which he was able shelters, rescues. They’ll JOHN DEBAckER to handle thanks to the help take the kitten happily from Animal rescuer of State Police who closed them.” the road temporarily. After that first experience, Debacker He carried out an even more comcommitted himself to helping animals plex operation over the course of 18 any time and anywhere. These days his days at Kennedy Airport in 2021, when rescue work prioritizes emergencies, he tracked and trapped a cat on the most frequently cats stuck in trees and tarmac. sewers, in the middle of highways and “Emergency cases happen on an asin other precarious places. While he needed basis,” he explained. “Otherwise most frequently handles cats, he has I go out trapping feral cats.” also rescued raccoons, squirrels and Debacker’s work with feral cats is a other domesticated small animals. necessity to combat cat overpopulation He does his work with equipment he on Long Island in a humane way. After bought himself: nets, leashes, incuba- catching a feral cat, he feeds it, cleans it tors, trail cameras, microchip scanners and takes it to veterinarians in Huntingand more. ton, Freeport and Westbury and beyond “It’s full time, but I don’t get paid — I for surgery. Once the cat recovers, its don’t charge money for the services,”
By JOSEPH D’ALESSANDRO
jdalessandro@liherald.com
Courtesy Kanisa Holder
at Lutheran Church of the epiphany, Margaret Holder celebrated her 100th birthday. Holder, a professional milliner, wore a stylish hat that she had crafted for the occasion. With were, on her left, great-grandson Jordan Holder, nephew Walter Bell iii; great-grandson Kavon Holder, on her right, granddaughter Kanisa Holder, Cleon Mcdonald, Cyrus Holder; and great-granddaughter darrian Jackson, 19.
Surrounded by love, Margaret Holder turns 100 Hempstead businesswoman celebrates at Lutheran Church of the Epiphany
sional milliner. She and her family also began their six-decade membership in Church of the Epiphany. In 1993, at age 68, with former Mayor Standing on her own two feet and smiling, Margaret Holder opened her James A. Garner and son Lance Holder at her side, Holder opened Margaret’s own 100th birthday party. “This was a surprise for me,” Holder Millinery in Hempstead. For many years, she supplied the said on Oct. 19. “I village with her own appreciate you all line of sophisticated coming and I love you hats and accessories. all.” Last Sunday, a long Applause shook the table in the church undercroft of historic undercroft displayed Lutheran Church of hats that Holder had the Epiphany, which made for parishioners was packed with famiacross the decades. ly, friends, and local Hundredth-birthofficials. day citations for HoldHolder moved from WALTER BELL III er from New York the Bronx to Hemp- Nephew state, Nassau County, stead with husband Lancelot Holder and their son Lance in the Town of Hempstead, and the Village the 1960s. Once established in the vil- of Hempstead stood proudly at the cenlage, Holder, who held a degree from the ter of the display. The undercroft glowed with whiteFashion Institute of Technology, continued with her 34-year career as a profes-
By REINE BETHANY
rbethany@liherald.com
I
hope that God blesses us all to live that long … and to see the strength that Aunt Margaret has and the love that she has.
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W
e need more animal rescuers in the world.
COntinued On Page 5