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UNIONDALE _____________
HERALD BEACON
Vol. 76 No. 15
Sacred Heart take first place
Knights open with victory
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APRIl 9 - 15, 2026
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Creating safe spaces for kids with disabilities ties.” Many siblings, who are often young themselves, do not fully An inclusive Easter egg hunt understand conditions like at Uniondale’s John J. Byrne autism. As a result, activities Community Center brought they want to take part in may dozens of families together on not be accessible to a brother or Sunday for a sensory-friendly sister with a disability, which celebration designed for chil- can lead to frustration and arguments. dren of all abilities. Siblings Helping Siblings The event, organized by Sibisn’t a nonprofit, lings Helping SibTejada explained, lings, drew about 60 and relies on supattendees, and was port from family intended to create a and friends to fund welcoming space its activities. where children Despite limited could participate resources, the without the presorganization has sures of a larger expanded to ingathering. clude sensorySiblings Helping mARIA TejADA friendly movie Siblings Founder Founder, Siblings screenings and seaMaria Tejada, of Helping Siblings sonal events. Roosevelt, launched There aren’t the initiative three years ago. The idea, she said, many local sensory-friendly grew out of her experience e n v i r o n m e n t s f o r h o l i d a y with a daughter with special events, and finding a location needs and a lack of inclusive for an egg hunt, Tejada said, spaces for her family. She has wasn’t easy. “We’re going to also organized events at the think about it,” organizations told her — reluctant, she said, Roosevelt Public Library. “It started because of my because of a lack of awareness daughter,” Tejada said. “In our of autism. “We believe in incluexperience at that time, we sion,” she said. But the community center didn’t see many spaces that welcome the whole family, didn’t hesitate to work with her. especially those with disabili-
By STACY DRIKS
sdriks@liherald.com
Tim Baker/Herald photos
Sweet scenes at the Coliseum The Chocolate Expo brought thousands of visitors to Nassau Coliseum in Uniondale on March 22, where more than 80 vendors offered everything from baked goods to specialty foods — and, yes, chocolate. Above, crumb cake doughnuts from Gooseberry Grove, a pop-up shop that also offered homemade ice cream. At right, an attendee dressed as the Mad Harlot, from the Mad Harlot Tea Society, which promotes unique women’s gatherings, stood out in the crowd. Story, more photos, Page 3.
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’m trying to create more memories with all of them.
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