A band of 6 and 7 year olds are starting a movement of their own. When adults  make them use  beige, boring Band-Aids on their little boo-boos, they start to take matters into their own hands. At 15 months old, 6-year-old Liam Gorman of Huntington was diagnosed with   Diamond Black Fan Anemia. This disease is a rare genetic defect; his body doesn't  produce red blood cells. Every two or three weeks Liam gets a blood transfusion, and it was during one of those treatments that a plan emerged.  One day at the hospital, Liam discovered that the hospital had eliminated "character" Band-Aids for …

Sometimes, all you have to do is ask. That’s what got John Henry involved with delivering Meals on Wheels 13 years ago, a job he’s still doing once a week. And he’s brought in a partner, Harold Weiher, to help with the deliveries, simply by asking. It's the same way he was recruited all those years ago by Bob Jack, former owner of Main Street Nursery who now has retired and moved to Pennsylvania. “Bob Jack asked me if I would help out and I thought, why not? The fact is, I realize how important it is, a service that needs to be done,” Henry said. “The clients are confined to home and they’re …

Diane Downing Peterson is the single mom of an 18-year-old son and handles several service projects in Huntington as a way to give back to the community that helped her with food and baby supplies when her husband left.  She, her son and her mom participated in the first ACS Relay for Life held at WWHS in 2005. After her mother passed away from brain cancer, Diane to want to get involved on a higher level, becoming registration and accounting chairperson for the 2009 Relay for Life.  In 2010, Peterson took the reins as event chair for Relay for Life. As a former caregiver of her mom, she …

Chances are, if you’ve taken a first aid or CPR course in Huntington, or a water safety or lifesaving course through the Red Cross, you’ve seen or met Bea Hartigan. If you’re a runner who has burned off a little pre-Thanksgiving guilt or St. Patrick’s cheer, you’ve seen her handiwork in the road races sponsored by the Townwide Fund of Huntington. Ditto if you’ve participated in swim meets throughout the region. Hartigan is active as an official with Metropolitan Swimming, the local chapter of USA Swimming. In 2008, she was inducted into the Metropolitan Swimming Hall of Fame, recognized for …

Huntington resident Joseph Toles was in foster care from birth until he was aged out of the system when he was 21. He knows from personal experience about the fears and insecurities that develop when a child doesn’t have a family or a permanent role model in life.   He also knows that there is hope. “I share my story because I want kids to know there is an end,” he said. “Kids in foster care sometimes feel very hopeless and isolated.” Toles, who is director of Candlewood Counseling Center  in the Half Hallow Hills School District, founded The Joseph Toles Foundation in 2006. One of the …

Relying on referrals from educational, medical and social service workers, the Junior Welfare League is able to provide assistance to Huntington residents who are in need while enabling them to maintain their anonymity. Each year, members host several large fundraising events, including their annual Wine Soiree which takes place at Coindre Hall on June 11 this year. In addition to the Lift Fund, which provides one-time emergency financial aid to individuals and families to help in an unexpected crisis, the JWL also pays camp expenses for Huntington youth who are dealing with difficult …

When Stephen Medici retired as CEO of Black Mountain Group of companies in 2005, he was looking forward to spending some of his new-found free time as a volunteer to support his favorite charities.  “The idea came to me one day while sitting on the beach.” he recalls. “I was trying to figure out what to do next.  I was too young for retirement but didn’t want to jump back into a traditional executive role.  I wanted to do something that would make a difference.  But I didn’t know how.”  He started out by trying to volunteer at local organizations that he thought could use his help, but he …

People have been seeking understanding and compassion since long before Dr. Phil started providing group counseling to a large audience of TV viewers. Often, it's easiest to find that support among other people who share a similar situation. So, 30 years ago, a small group of women who were members of Old First Church, created The Women's Center of Huntington, a place intended for learning, open sharing, encouragement and personal support. In 1981, many of the founding members felt isolated in their suburban homes. Some had moved from the city or were stay-at-home mothers who were missing …

The holiday season has always been a time when people find themselves searching for meaningful ways to connect with their families, friends and communities. Raising money or donating toys are rewarding ways to balance the excess that this time of year can sometimes represent. With so many of our neighbors suffering through this difficult economy, you don't have to look far for a place that can use your help. Councilwoman Glenda Jackson has initiated a food drive to help relieve some of the burdens that affect so many families who are in need. Non-perishable food items and toiletries can be …

Huntington announced the holidays in a big way during the past week, with thousands of people visiting town for a Parade of Lights on Huntington Harbor, a Village Parade and Street Festival, a Tree Lighting at Prime to benefit Huntington Hospital and a Chanukah party at town hall. Things aren't about to slow down any time soon, with this weekend offering holiday events for all ages and interests. Santa will visit with children who have long lists of holiday wishes, latkes will be eaten, dreidels will spin and songs will be sung. Here is the "About Town Most Complete Guide to …

Laura Fisher was only 24 in 2009 when she was recognized by the Huntington Chamber of Commerce at the first "Celebrate Long Island's Young Professionals"  - an awards program that showcases the top young professionals under the age of 30 on Long Island. Now in its third year, this annual event honors 30 individuals who are chosen for their  commitment, talent and philanthropic spirit within Long Island's business and civic communities.   Now working in events and client relations at Ferrari Maserati of Long Island, Fisher said that adding the achievement to her resume gave her a big boost …

Now that Black Friday is behind us, and a sense of sanity can return to holiday shopping, it's worth remembering why Huntington Village is an inspiring place to get it all done. The beautifully decorated historic buildings that house many of the shops give it the appearance of a Currier & Ives winter village. Seasonal music serenades shoppers as they stroll from specialty shops with unique gifts to restaurants with world-class cuisine. And let's not forget free parking, a gift from the town to help visitors get into the holiday spirit. There is a sense of community that is felt from taking …

When Town Supervisor Frank Petrone took the stage at the tree lighting at Prime Restaurant on Monday night, he remarked that it had been a weekend of holiday firsts in Huntington. On Friday night, boaters and landlubbers alike enjoyed the first Parade of Lights on Huntington Harbor, on Saturday night, the first town holiday parade, and now, on Monday night, the first Tree Lighting on Huntington Harbor. The ceremony served as a fundraiser to benefit the Clark Gilles Children's Emergency Care Center at Huntington Hospital. As guests arrived, many brought toys and gifts which were intended for …

With the holiday season officially under way, Huntington residents and visitors will find a long list of festive events to stay busy from now until the end of the year. One of the most highly anticipated is The Annual Huntington Historical Society Holiday House Tour which is scheduled for Dec.5 this year. Each year, the Historical Society arranges tours of local residences that date from Colonial times. The owners open their homes as a service to the community to demonstrate lifestyles throughout our country's history. This year's houses were chosen to showcase different eras of home building…

The streets of Huntington come alive like a scene out of a classic holiday movie at this time of year.  The historic buildings and downtown feeling add to the charm, as people stroll the sidewalks past beautifully decorated shops and restaurants. The stage is set and the magic is something that brings people to the Village to experience a little bit of that old-fashioned holiday charm. And like any good movie, the emotions are amplified with the accompaniment of a moving soundtrack that helps to illicit the feelings of joy and harmony that the holidays are known to produce. For the past 26 …

On Tuesday night, in a parking lot on East 6th Street and Fairground Avenue, volunteers for Long Island Food Not Bombs will gather to set up their weekly Huntington Food Share. It's something that they have been doing for the past three years as a local branch of Food Not Bombs, a grass-roots organization started 30 years ago that now shares free food with the hungry in over 1,000 cities around the world. Operating under the belief that many people go hungry due to waste rather than a scarcity of food, FNB volunteers work with food establishments - including Whole Foods and Trader Joes - to …

While most people are dreaming of turkey and pumpkin pie on Thanksgiving Day, hundreds of runners of every age and ability will be gathering at the American Legion Hall in Halesite to participate in the Townwide Fund of Huntington's Annual Thanksgiving Day 4 Mile Race and 1K Fun Run. The Townwide Fund of Huntington is approaching its 50th anniversary of helping its member agencies raise money to help residents of Huntington through some difficult times. The Thanksgiving Day Run has become one of their most successful fundraising events. Last year they raised close to $23,000 with over 1,300 …

The holiday season is a time for traditions, and Assemblyman Jim Conte started one 23 years ago that helps to bring some holiday cheer to local families who are in need. From now through Christmas, Conte's office will once again collect necessities for families with infants and toddlers through the Caring for Children Holiday Drive, and new and unused toys, which will be distributed in conjunction with the  Marine Corps Reserve Toys for Tots program.             "The holidays are about taking a moment and giving thanks for the many blessings we have been given. They are also about helping …

The Townwide Fund of Huntington will hold one of its biggest fundraisers of the year tomorrow night at a special opening-night performance of "The Sound of Music" at the John W. Engeman Theater in Northport. Last year, in an attempt to come up with an event that was not another golf outing, Townwide Fund president, Jim Powers approached the John W. Engeman Theater with the idea of holding a gala, red-carpet fundraising event. Barbara Axmacher, group/community relations director at the theater, had worked with other non-profits by offering a block of discounted tickets to a show, which would…

For years, Dick Cavett played host to the nation's most famous personalities on his late-night talk show. On Friday the tables will be turned as he takes the guest chair for an interview and Q&A conducted by Cinema Arts Centre Special Projects Curator Dr. Jud Newborn. Cavett welcomes the change in roles, stating on his blog, "When you've endured the ups and downs and tensions and pitfalls of hosting, being a guest is a piece of angel food." The Emmy Award-winning host is in town to promote his new book, "Talk Show: Confrontations, Pointed Commentary and Off-Screen Secrets", a recollection of …