_______ Lynbrook/east rockaway ______
HERALD Also serving Bay Park
Salute to the military
Solid season for Rocks football
Students learn from veterans
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Vol. 31 No. 47
NoVEMBER 14 - 20, 2024
$1.00
Chamber aims to expand its meeting places Lynbrook Chamber of Commerce, said. amartinez@liherald.com The teenagers sitting a few On a Thursday afternoon, tables down matched the demographic she mentioned: young, through the glass windows of Vincent’s Pizza, a local staple at living in Lynbrook, and unin14 Atlantic Ave., four Lynbrook volved in the Chamber. Zach Fava and Victoria H i g h S ch o o l s t u d e n t s at e cheese slices and sipped sodas, Ortiz, Lynbrook High School laughing and exchanging sto- freshmen, said they don’ t ries about their day. Two win- attend community events for a couple of reasons: dows down, Lynt h e y n eve r h e a r brook Chamber of about the events, Commerce board and when they do, members sat at a the events don’ t table working on seem relevant to community and their age group. business initiatives “Some of the within the organievents are kind of zation and trying to boring, too,” Fava find a way to better connect with the said. “To spice it up younger generation PollY TAlBoTT would be fun.” of the community. Ortiz ag reed, President of the Throughout the Lynbrook Chamber of adding that, in m e e t i n g , b o a r d Commerce their experience, members discussed many events were the challenge of geared toward older increasing participation in people, leaving younger resicommunity events. Despite the dents like themselves feeling Chamber’s efforts to host recre- disconnected. The lack of proational events and professional motion didn’t help either, makworkshops aimed at promoting ing it difficult for young people local businesses, a patter n to even know about events in emerged: young people do not the first place, she said. show up. A 2021 study from the Pew “We need to find more ways Research Center found that to connect with young people,” 95% of teenagers have access to Polly Talbott, president of the Continued on page 11
By AINSlEY MARTINEZ
W
Ainsley Martinez
Waverly park students brought family and friends to their “Bring a Veteran to School” day on nov. 8. pictured: Ravid tiran, dominick amendola, Michael Williams, Sr., donald Schroeder, Walter Kowalczyk, Matthew tomao, Michael Zangari, Stuart Smith, James o’Hara, nicholas deninno, Joseph o’Shaughnessy.
Waverly Park students honor the veterans in their own lives By AINSlEY MARTINEZ amartinez@liherald.com
In the auditorium of Waverly Park Elementary School last Friday morning, [// XTH-GRADER//] Jamie Grace Tomao ran on stage to embrace her dad, Army veteran Matthew Tomao, before giving him a flower in recognition of the school’s Bring a Veteran to School Day. Tomao, of East Rockaway, served in the Army and the Army Reserve in the 1990s, long before Jamie Grace was born, but the celebration of Veterans Day gave her a chance to honor his years in the military. Tomao said he believed that having served his country has helped him instill
beneficial values in his children. “I think veterans are very selfless people, and (serve) because of God, people and country,” he said. Waverly Park honored 15 veterans who are friends and family members of students and staff. Members of the Student Council led the program, thanking the veterans and sharing their own thoughts. “(Veterans) are brave and strong, and they fight for people,” [//XTH-GRADER//] Brianna Rosinsky said. The school’s choir and band performed several patriotic songs, and closed with “God Bless America.” After the auditorium ceremony, the veterans visited each Waverly Park classroom and Continued on page 6
e need to find more ways to connect with young people.