Kiwanis to Rethink Race Planning for Next Year

Some residents cite lack of info about fundraiser, overlap with homecoming.

The Huntington Kiwanis Club will be examining how it handles future races after complaints that Saturday’s fundraising 10k run surprised and inconvenienced many Huntington residents. Barry Turk, past president of the club, said two factors, a minor car accident that delayed the start of the race, and the discovery that the original course was a little short of official race requirements, added some confusion to the day’s otherwise-successful event. Numerous people complained that they were trapped in their neighborhoods without sufficient warning as the race wound across several major roads leading into and out of Huntington village.  Others cited the timing and course of the race that preceded the start of Huntington High School’s …

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'Wine And Fare' For Charity At Oheka Castle

Enjoy champagne wishes and caviar dreams while benefiting a host of charities at the Northport Rotary fundraiser Thursday evening.

The Rotary Club of Northport will host their annual wine and food extravaganza, “An Evening of Wine and Fare at Oheka Castle,” on Thursday from 6 to 10 p.m. According to Rotary President James LaMantia, it’ll be an unforgettable night of champagne wishes and caviar dreams. “Oheka Castle is the second largest private residence in the country,” LaMantia said of the 127 room estate which was built for financier and philanthropist Otto Kahn in the early 1900s. It’s a regal environment, and as the guests wander through the luxuriously appointed rooms, they will be stepping back in time to North Shore’s Gold Coast era, LaMantia said. In keeping with splendiferous surroundings, guests will relish the diverse offerings of 26 Long Island …

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Special Events at Engeman to Benefit Wounded Marine

Lt. James Byler lost both legs while serving in Afghanistan.

The 'Building Homes For Huntington Heroes' effort got a boost when Huntington Town Councilman Mark Mayoka and his fellow board members joined with the John W. Engeman Theater to kick off a series of events to help raise the money to carry out a major renovation and to make severely injured Marine Lt. James Byler’s home handicapped accessible.  Byler, a 2003 Huntington High School graduate whose mom, Janet, teaches at Northport High School, was an infantry platoon commander with the Third Battalion, 5th Marines, of Camp Pendleton, Calif., when he was severely injured after stepping on a bomb in Northern Helmand Province, one of the deadliest provinces in Afghanistan. He was brought to safety by wheelbarrow by members of his platoon and …

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Taking a Lot Off the Top

Fundraiser to fight cancer gets nearly everyone into the act at Whitman.

Anything for a good cause, including giving up a full head of blond hair. Students, teachers, staff and even principal Kathleen Acker traded their hair for donations to fight cancer as the mission of St. Baldrick's came to Walt Whitman High School this week. Over the weekend, Acker agreed to the head shaving if $3,000 were raised for the foundation, which funds research into childhood cancers. And it was. The money quickly rolled in and the hair came off. Students of all ages could be found at the school Tuesday, getting shaved, awaiting a shave or feeling their scalps after the deed was done. Volunteers counted donations, parents took photos and a couple of shy contributors placed hats on their heads as they walked away from the razor. …

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Boosting Into March Madness

Blue Devil fans and coaches celebrated Sunday at the Huntington Booster Club's fundraiser.

Supporters of Huntington's student athletes, coaches and sports teams gathered Sunday afternoon at Christopher's Courtyard Cafe in Huntington to raise funds to help the teams and athletes. Proceeds will help provide financial support for annual scholarships, the purchase of equipment, summer sports camp programs and refreshments at athletic events and sports awards nights. Fundraising is even more critical this year, with all the budget uncertainity that districts face in light of upcoming state budget cuts, said club member Christina Plant. "We have to raise a lot of money because we don't know what's going to happen," she said. Admission was $50 in advance and $60 at the door, and there also was a raffle. In addition to its financial …

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'Nothing But Nets' Benefit at UMC

A fund-raiser at the Huntington-Cold Spring Harbor United Methodist Church earned $300 for an anti-malaria campaign.

Tacos, songs and goodwill graced a fund-raiser to fight malaria in Africa on Saturday at the Huntington-Cold Spring Harbor United Methodist Church. About 45 attended the dinner to raise funds for Nothing But Nets, a charity the church's Methodist Youth Fellowship has been supporting since the kids learned about it at Youth 2007, a Methodist youth event they attended in Greensboro, N.C. The MYF has donated more than $2,000 to the campaign over the years, according to Phil Martelli, MYF director. Each $10 donation buys an insecticide-treated bed net that helps protect families at night. Members of the musical theater class from Cold Spring Harbor High School performed a series of great tunes. Chicken taco soup was the evening's food winner, …

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Community Rallies Behind a Super Volunteer

A Waldbaum's worker has inspired a community with her generosity, and now they want to give a little back.

When the Huntington Manor Fire Department made its annual holiday appearance in the Huntington Station Waldbaum's parking lot last Saturday, it was obvious someone was missing. In a crowd that included parents and children, Santa and Big Bird, a small group of firefighters and Waldbaum's employees were holding a sign in front of a decked-out fire truck. It read: "We Miss You Lorraine."  Lorraine Boccio, a customer service representative at the Waldbaum's store, helped organize the annual gathering for several years. But the event took on new meaning when Boccio was diagnosed with stage III pancreatic cancer shortly before Thanksgiving. When her co-organizers found out that Boccio would be in the hospital and unable to attend Saturday's …

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Gala Benefits Huntington Hospital

Oheka Castle event raises money for maternity services.

Huntington Hospital's annual black-tie gala at Oheka Castle Thursday night raised money for its maternity unit. The Crystal Ball included a Vegas-style casino, dancing, musical entertainment, and live auction. Proceeds from the gala will benefit renovation and modernization of the hospital's maternity unit, which has close to 1,500 births each year.

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Pink And Powerful Statement

Whitman girls teams rally behind Breast Cancer Awareness Month.

They'll wear pink in the Whitman High School's north gym on Monday. As part of National Breast Cancer Awareness Month, the Whitman girls volleyball team will don pink and collect donations, all in the name of fighting breast cancer. The cause hits all too close to home for second-year volleyball coach Steve Greco. He lost his mother, Nancy Greco, to breast cancer as a freshman at Commack High School in 1999. "I lost my mother to breast cancer when I was in high school, so it means a great deal to me," said Greco, 26, who also teaches at the school. "I'm not pushing for the financial impact of it. I'm about the awareness. I'm for getting the message out. If we raise $5 or $1,000, that's not the point in my mind. It's to get the message out …

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United Methodist Fall Fair Raises Money for Local Organizations

Second fundraiser this Saturday to support United Methodist Church, Dolan Center and Huntington Food Council.

This past Saturday marked the 22-year anniversary of the United Methodist Church Fall Fair – an event that supports local organizations. The six-hour fair was filled with vendors, music, food and activities for the community. Inside the church, there was a White Elephant sale, along with Christmas decorations and children's clothes. Outside, there were flowers, produce, homemade crafts, gently used books and games and activities for the kids, such as a Big Bounce castle and a pony ride. Doreen Barry-Schneider, who has been in charge of the fair for the past two years, said she was pleased with the fair's success. "We've donated just about $183,000 to local charities over the years," Barry-Schneider said. "We're very excited. We're happy to…

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