_________ Oceanside/island park ________
HERALD VOL. 61 NO. 32
New grant gets OFD water-ready
Christmas in July at Camp Anchor
Page 3
Page 10 AUGUST 6 - 12, 2026
$1.00
Register
Now!
177 Merrick Road 516-764-0513 • www.da , Oceanside nceinnovationsinc.com
Girl Scout from O’side earns Gold Award completion of their project. The Scouts’ accomplishments were celebrated during K a t h e r i n e L o v e l o c k , a the 2026 Gold Award Ceremo17-year-old Oceanside resi- ny held at The Inn at New dent, is using her love of the- Hyde Park last month. “The 2026 Gold at e r t o i n s p i re Aw a r d Girl the next generaScouts are an tion of perfor mextraordinary ers. g roup of young Lovelock was women, and what among 67 young they have accomwomen recently reco gniz ed by plished goes far G i rl S c o u t s o f beyond the projNassau County ects they comfor ear ning the pleted,” Rande prestigious Bynum, CEO of Scout’s Gold G i rl S c o u t s o f Award, the orgaNassau County, nization’s highest s a i d . “ T h ro u g h honor. this experience, For her Gold every one of Aw a r d p r o j e c t , them built real, dubbed Little transferable Actors Academy, CASSIE COLGAN skills in leaderLovelock created Girl Scouts of Nassau s h i p, p r o b l e m f r e e t h e a t e r County s o l v i n g , p u bl i c workshops in the speaking, and O c e a n s i d e c o m m u n i t y fo r project management that will children ages 3 to 7. give them an edge in college, The Gold Award recognizes in their careers, and in every G i rl S c o u t s i n t h e n i n t h community they are a part of through 12th grades who iden- for the rest of their lives.” tify a problem or need in their For the Little Actors Acadecommunity, develop a plan, m y, L o v e l o c k i n t r o d u c e d build a team, and create a last- young children to acting, singing solution that continues to ing, dancing and performance make an impact beyond the CONTINUED ON PAGE 9
By ABIGAIL GRIECO
agrieco@liherald.com
I
Courtesy Tracy Demmerle
Under the guidance of her sensei, Mamdouh Ibrahim, Charlotte Demmerle, 10, of Oceanside, earned a spot on the 2026 USA Karate Junior National Team, and will represent the United States at the Junior Pan American Karate Championships in Costa Rica later this month.
Ten-year-old qualifies for Team USA By ABIGAIL GRIECO agrieco@liherald.com
When 10-year-old Charlotte Demmerle stepped off the mat after winning her semifinal match at the USA Karate National Championships in Spokane, Wash., on July 17, she had accomplished a goal she had been working toward for years. She had earned a spot on the 2026 USA Karate Junior National Team. “I started crying with happiness,” Charlotte said. “But my sensei told me, ‘It’s time to focus, because you still have the finals.’ I was just so happy, because I’ve really wanted to represent Team USA for a long time.”
Charlotte won the silver medal for girls ages 10 to 11 in kumite — sparring — in the 47kg weight division. The Oceanside resident will now represent the United States at the Junior Pan American Karate Championships in Costa Rica Aug. 24 to 30, capping an extraordinary journey that began after one of the most difficult chapters of her family’s life. Charlotte, who lives with her parents, Tracy and Kenny Demmerle, and her younger sister Kayla, 9, took up karate following the drowning death of her 2-year-old sister, Reagan, in 2023. Looking for healthy ways to help their children process the grief, the Demmerles encouraged Charlotte to pursue CONTINUED ON PAGE 8
t’s amazing to see the wonderful projects the girls are doing, the good that they’re doing in the community and the leadership that they’re taking on.