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Vol. 32 No. 8

FEBRUARY 20 - 26, 2025

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Lodge president completes term Baffo Stathes to step down after leading Per Sempre 2344 for eight years women members. “Being part of this organization has always been about After eight years as presi- more than just leadership for dent of Lynbrook’s Per Sempre me,” Baffo Stathes said. “It’s Lodge 2344 of the Order Sons about serving my community, and Daughters of Italy in supporting our traditions, and America, Rosemarie Baf fo showing the younger generaStathes will step down March tion what it means to give 18, marking the end back.” of an era for the At the start of organization. her presidency in “It’s like when a 2017, she led the parent lets a child Ladies’ Lodge. Durgo off to school, and ing her tenure, she they say, ‘Fly, little had to navigate the birdie, fly,’” Baffo social and logistiStathes, who is in cal challenges of her 60s, said. “It’s a t h e c o ro n av i r u s ve r y b i t t e r swe e t pandemic. Both the experience for me. I men’s and women’s loved being presilodges struggled to dent of the lodge.” maintain members, Her connection RoSEMARIE BAFFo and in 2020, fundto the organization ing problems forced STAThES runs deep — her the men’s lodge to parents and grand- President, Per Sempre dissolve. parents were mem- Lodge 2344 But not for long. bers, too — and she A year later, Baffo has served in various capaci- Stathes worked with the men to ties for over 40 years, since she initiate a merger of the two joined at age 20. groups, and she became the In the early 2000s, she served first president of the combined as president of the Marcus co-ed lodge. Aurelius Lodge, in Flushing, The transition made sense Queens, and in 2010 she joined for the long term, she said. Centhe Per Sempre Ladies’ Lodge tralization meant more mem2344A, the organization for

By AINSlEY MARTINEZ

amartinez@liherald.com

Ainsley Martinez/ The Herald

The Chamber met for lunch at River Mill Mayor Alan Beach discussed safety measures, plans for revitalizing Lynbrook and easing the tax burden at the Chamber of Commerce’s Lunch & Learn on Feb. 12 at 100 Ocean Ave.

Fire Department hopes ballot measure will increase volunteerism in Lynbrook By AINSlEY MARTINEZ amartinez@liherald.com

Amid an ongoing shortage of volunteers, a referendum on the ballot in next month’s village election proposes extending the Length of Service Awards Program benefits for the village’s volunteer firefighters by two decades. Under the current system, a volunteer can earn benefits for up to 30 years of service — a $20-per-month stipend for each year up to 30 years, a maximum of $7,200. The referendum would allow the village to increase the eligible length of service to 50 years, and the total maximum benefits to $12,000. “We want them to continue to volunteer,”

Steve Grogan, a former captain of the department, said. Recognizing the statewide volunteer firefighter shortage decades ago, New York state introduced the Length of Service program in 1990, and the village adopted it four years later. In addition to LOSAP benefits, volunteers are eligible for property tax exemptions, state income tax credits, tuition assistance and free annual medical exams. They also receive free training and equipment and, while they serve, workers’ compensation benefits. Grogan said that the shortage of volunteers remains a widespread challenge, citing the difficulty of balancing a full-time job and a firefightContinued on page 6

t’s been a true honor to represent this lodge, and I’m incredibly proud of the work we’ve done.

Continued on page 10