More than 150 runners recently took part in the seventh annual Connetquot Central School District Habitat for Humanity Club 5K Holiday Run/Walk held at Connetquot High School.

Due to outstanding community efforts, including donations during the event and T-shirt sales, close to $5,000 was raised for Habitat of Humanity of Suffolk County.

“It was a great success, and the recipients of the money raised today will be very thankful to all of you,” said Connetquot High School Habitat for Humanity Club co-advisers Jason Wilans and Dennis Fagan. “We are looking forward to doing it again next year, and hope all of you come out again to have another great run.”

Prior to the 9:30 a.m. start, Connetquot High School’s talented Long Island Voices, conducted by James Nagle, sang the national anthem in recognition of the event.

Mr. Wilans and Mr. Fagan would like to thank everyone who helped make this year’s event a success, beginning with the club’s student-members, many of whom were on hand at 6 a.m. to help set up for the event. Additionally, they would like to thank the Kohl’s department store for sending out five volunteers and a $500 donation, along with elitefeats for supervising and calculating the times of the runners.

Photo caption: Student representatives of Connetquot High School’s Habitat for Humanity Club participated in the annual Habitat for Humanity 5K Holiday Run/Walk event.

Photo courtesy of the Connetquot Central School District

On Dec. 9, the Floral Park Memorial High School’s basketball program hosted a Coaches vs. Cancer day against North Shore High School.

The day consisted of basketball games, raffles, selfie stations, The Wall of Hope, music, food and much more. Thanks to the hard work of the Floral Park and North Shore basketball programs, the Florettes, cheerleaders, students, coaches, parents, Floral Park Booster Club, community members, local businesses, teachers, custodians and security, the day was a huge success. Through everyone’s dedication and generosity, more than $5,000 was raised for the American Cancer Society.

Photo Captions:
1. Floral Park Memorial High School senior Marykate Guerriero participated in the fundraiser.
2. Floral Park Memorial High School’s Florettes are pictured with NYS Senator Elaine Phillips.
3. Floral Park Memorial High School’s basketball programs took on North Shore at the fundraising event.
4. Floral Park Memorial High School’s junior varsity cheerleaders were on hand to lend support.

Photos courtesy of the Sewanhaka Central High School District

Hempstead, N.Y. – The Adelphi University field hockey and men’s lacrosse teams teamed up this December to spread warmth for the holidays.

In an effort orchestrated by seniors Jamie Ahrens and Joseph LaBarbera, and Adelphi professor Cynthia A. Proscia, the Panthers and local non-profit Garden Vines linked up to collect coats and other winter clothing for those in need.

The men’s lacrosse program began its philanthropic work with Garden Vines this fall, helping to cultivate, create and harvest community gardens at the Barack Obama and Jackson Main elementary schools in Hempstead, having built a relationship with Proscia — the organization’s co-founder — a clinical assistant profession in the exercise science, health studies, physical education and sport management department at Adelphi.

Meanwhile, Ahrens was looking to organize winter philanthropic work on campus for the third straight year, as she and her field hockey team, along with the Adelphi volleyball program, had organized efforts for “Project Coats” to bring winter clothes to underserved communities in the New York City area in each of the past two years.

After a little talking, and a little brainstorming, they made a perfect match.

“Prof. Proscia reached out to Joe and me, knowing what we’ve done in the past, to see if we would be interested in collaborating with Garden Vines this year to donate collected coats to a Long Island community in need this holiday season,” Ahrens said. “We collected donations through word of mouth and social media, and also received contributions to our drive from some other teams and groups on campus.”

The teams then traveled to Jackson Main Elementary in Hempstead on Thursday night to distribute all that they had collected over the past few weeks. In addition to over 200 coats, they also gave out gloves, hats, boots and scarves to students, their families, and others who arrived from the community.

“We’ve already had two days of snow this December, and this drive was part of the larger effort to help keep a community close to home a little warmer this winter,” Ahrens said.

 

“The community was so grateful, and the students were ecstatic. In total, we only had two jackets left over — everything else was taken by the community. We were thrilled to be able to make a difference in people’s lives this winter.”

For more information about Garden Vines, and its mission — “to cultivate and maintain healthy communities by creating or expanding food-bearing gardens that will bridge cultural, socioeconomic and generational gaps” — click here.

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About Adelphi Athletics
Adelphi University joined the Northeast-10 Conference in the fall of 2009, and in the past eight seasons, has collected 25 regular season conference titles, 26 tournament championships, 33 individual crowns and captured the Northeast-10 Presidents’ Cup four times (2013, 2014, 2016 and 2017), while winning six NCAA Division II National Championships.

For the latest on Adelphi University Athletics, follow the Panthers at www.aupanthers.com or via social media on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, YouTube, and Snapchat.

The Northport-East Northport varsity football team visited the Northport Veterans Affairs Medical Center on Dec. 9 to watch the Army vs. Navy game with the veterans.

This event was part of a series of activities the football team conducts with the veterans during their season. The team has had them as guests for a Friday night dinner and has also honored them at games.

A dozen of the athletes and four coaches attended the event, and the veterans were very excited to see them. Many veterans were more excited to interact with the students than to watch the game. The residents of the VA shared some interesting stories and experiences with the members of the team.

“It was quite a rewarding experience,” said Coach Patrick Campbell.

 

Photo captions:

1. The Northport-East Northport varsity football team visited the Northport Veterans Affairs Medical Center on Dec. 9 for a rewarding experience.
2. Northport senior Jason Aiello with one of the veterans at the VA Medical Center during the Army vs. Navy football game on Dec. 9.

 

Photos courtesy of the Northport-East Northport Central School District

 

 

On Thursday, Nov. 2, North’s Senior High Student Council held its annual volleyball tournament under the direction of Ms. Karen Ehrlich. The event supported Building for Our Bravest, an organization that builds smart homes for catastrophically injured veterans who have returned home from war. The initiative was a great success and raised more than $1,180 to help support our veterans.

​More than 120 students on 20 teams participated in the double elimination tournament. The event began with a motivational speech by Mr. Andrew McClure, a representative from the Stephen Siller Tunnel to Towers foundation who explained the organizations’ purpose and thanked the students for their participation and fundraising efforts.

The competition began with a faculty exhibition of more than 12 teachers who battled on center court. The students then competed in the junior high and senior high divisions until the winners were crowned. All students received t-shirts for their participation.

Photos courtesy of the Valley Stream Central High School District