Deer Park High School’s Varsity Leaders Club hosted its first of three blood drives of the school year on Nov. 15, in conjunction with the New York Blood Center.
More than 125 students signed up to donate to the cause, and by the end of the day, the NYBC had collected 94 pints of blood from Deer Park’s students and faculty under the supervision of club adviser Brian Tower.
The NYBC, who award two $250 scholarships to two Deer Park seniors each spring, honored the school’s 3,500th all-time donor. Evan Mallon, the recipient of this honor, was awarded with numerous gift cards and prizes.

Blood Drive 1: (From left): Deer Park High School Varsity Leaders Club members Oliver Tavares, Nicole Tudor, Kristina DiNardo, Kristina Occhino and Jarett Bonser helped host the first of three blood drives of the school year on Nov. 15.

Photos courtesy of the Deer Park School District

DOBBS FERRY, N.Y. (Dec. 6, 2016) – Mid-morning on Sunday, December 4th the Lady Tiger softball team from the South Bronx at Middle School 22, departed by train for the Mercy College campus in Dobbs Ferry where the Mercy College softball team hosted the Lady Tigers for a skills clinic inside Victory Gymnasium.

Tigers Coach Christopher Astacio had reached out to Mavericks Head Coach Mike Fazio early in the fall, in an effort to provide his young players additional instruction in their sport and to provide them an opportunity to experience a fun work out on a college campus. The Mavericks were more than willing to help and agreed to host the young students and worked with Coach Astacio to secure a date.

Maverick softball student-athletes were excited about the opportunity to give back to the community and for more than two hours, provided one-on-one instruction in pitching, hitting and fielding to their young Tiger counterparts. The day saw the Mavericks position players working with the Lady Tigers on their swing mechanics, Maverick pitcher’s providing instruction on pitching fundamentals, Mercy’s catchers drilled with the Lady Tigers on framing and blocking, while the Maverick outfielders and infielders worked with the Tigers on throwing and fielding skills.

“It was great to see our student athletes working with the young girls, providing not only softball instruction but in serving as role models for these young players,” Coach Fazio said. “We tried to provide not only skill instruction, but a positive fun experience for them while they were our guests on campus. I think the clinic was a big success as both teams enjoyed working and learning together.” The Lady Tigers were MSAL Playoff Champions in 2016.

The LIU Post women’s lacrosse team took time out of its weekend Saturday to participate in arts and crafts with the senior residents of Sunrise Glen Cove.

The Pioneer student-athletes spent three hours decorating ornaments and dreidels to get into the Christmas and Hanukkah spirit.

“Being able to go spend time with our friends at Sunrise Assisted Living was an amazing experience,” stated Pioneers’ senior Connor Bird (Syosset, N.Y.). “It is such a great feeling to know that such little things in life can make such a big difference in someone’s world.”

For more information on the LIU Post women’s lacrosse team, please continue to visit LIUPostPioneers.com.

The Helping Hands Club at Massapequa High School’s Ames Campus continues to live up to its mission of community service. This holiday season, it is lending a helping hand to the children at the Eastern Nassau Head Start Early Education Center by collecting new pajamas and books.

Approximately 40 ninth-graders will go to the Head Start school in Wantagh on Dec. 20 and give each child one pair of pajamas. The children will also get to pick a book to keep, but first one of the Helping Hands members will read it to them.

The club collected more than 300 pairs of pajamas and 500 books last year, and is hoping to exceed that total this December, as Helping Hands members have been working hard to promote the cause by making fliers and speaking to classes. Extra donations will be given to the Pajama Program to benefit children throughout the country.

“It’s important to give to others who aren’t as fortunate as us,” said student Alexa Mangione. “It feels absolutely wonderful to have the opportunity to do this. Through the school, we’re able to have the power to help people.”
Club members have previously held back-to-school supply drives, volunteered at the Ronald McDonald House and made emergency kits.

Photo Captions:
1: Members of the Helping Hands Club at Massapequa High School’s Ames Campus, from left, John Cuttitta, Ryan Umano, Marianne Voigt, Anne Borghese and Colleen Brown showed off some of the pajamas and books received so far.

Photos courtesy of Massapequa School District

The Mercy College men’s basketball team volunteered their time for the Chamber of Commerce in Dobbs Ferry on Sunday, November 27th.

The Mavericks helped with the setup of a PopUp Shop on Main Street as well as enhancing the holiday decorations on both Cedar and Main Streets in Dobbs Ferry. Members of the men’s basketball team cleared furniture out of the space and moved it to the back of the building, while also installing holiday lights in store windows.