January 2006

A Common Ground for the common good

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September 2006
Splashes of Hope
The Neighbor Newspapers – Sayville Edition

On Saturday, 23rd at The Ground Park in Sayville, local children and artists Painted murals to be donated to hospitals, sponsored by a Suffolk County grant, written by Splashes of Hope board member and Sayville Rotary president, Chestene Coverdale.  Though the weather was unpleasant, the volunteers painted under tents.

Suffolk County Girl and Boy Scouts did a tremendous job setting up the event, and participated in one of the many free portrait classes given: by Splashes of Hope volunteer artist Liz Macchio, throughout the day. Free face painting for all of the children (and some hair painting!) were provided by Splashes of Hope artists Sarah Baecher, Sandy Romano and Stephanie Condra.

As songs by Glen Roethel were helping the soggy artists rekindle their spirits, Bucket Boy Johnny Pfail and his dad, Splashes of Hope president John Pfail-Buggée gave out free balloons and candy to all of the participants. Longtime volunteer artists for Splashes of Hope, Doug Reina and Mario Politi demonstrated portrait painting and ceiling tile art which will be installed for bedridden patients.

Splashes of Hope mural artists Frank Bandiero, Linda Alfin, Eleanor Duncker and Splashes of Hope founder Heather Buggée-Pfail, all helped the children and adults paint the outlined panels, as Warren Barlow taught computer art with a projector.  At the end of the day, two bright and colorful scenes were painted for the children's wards of Suffolk County hospitals.

Splashes of Hope founder, Heather Buggée-Pfail, said of the day, "It was refreshing to have children participate in the creative process to create something tangible for others less fortunate. It's a good lesson for the kids, and it's also a nice way to increase the community's awareness of our mission. Lately we have been a little isolated in our art studio, and that's not healthy. We'd like this to be an annual event... rain or shine!"

Splashes of Hope is a non-profit organization of artists committed to helping create a healing environment for hospitals with colorful murals.

www.splashesofhope.org
 

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December 2005

What they did for love ... of community

A saucy local calendar debuts for holidays
By Linda Leuzzi

SAYVILLE ‑ The DownTown Salon staff was the first to pose. "They had approached Roger Del Giorno and asked if he would do it,” said owner Debra Spadaro, who is partners with her sister Trish Tresch. Del Giorno, a hair stylist, got some colleagues to agree. "We always like having fun and the calendar is for a good cause," Spadaro said.

As a result, a mischievous‑looking group, including hair stylist Del Giorno, sits in salon chairs up front by the windows and graces January's page. "The photographer took the picture five minutes before we opened,' Spadaro remembered.

Sayville‑A Model Community, is a fund‑raising send‑up of the proper Yorkshire housewives who posed for a 1999 Women's Institute calendar. It features Sayville community club mem­bers, business owners and other folks involved with the vitality of the town posing with strategically placed props.

The 2006 calendar is also a kind of one-stop preview listing the contact names and dates of 14 community clubs and their meetings and main events. It will debut this week to bene­fit the events at The Common Ground. “I’m the treasurer of The Common Ground as we'll as a member of Kiwa­nis Club," said Jim Cassara, also the executive director of the Atlantic Wind Symphony. "We were looking to fundraise and not do anything every­ one else is doing."

Cassara, Rich Stafford of the Sayville Inn and Gil Saks of Jo‑Art Studios be seen emulating the famous Kiwanis Annual Pancake Breakfast at the Sayville Fire House. The sell wasn’t hard, Cassara said. “Ritchie volunteered himself and we called Gil Saks, who is now president of Kiwanis," he said.

Cassara explained the calendar took about a year to come together. "I would hope we can raise $4,000 to 5,000," he said. "I think people are surprised what we've done. There was a performance every Wednesday night through July and August sponsored by Stadtmuller Jewelers."

"This year, we expanded it to include Fridays for the Kids,‑ he added. ‑We had storytellers, mimes and movies for the kids and we served popcorn. Each time you do something, there are more things you try to accomplish like improve the lighting. We're trying to get game tables to encourage chess or checkers. The two gaming tables alone cost $3,000. We looked at a pet watering station. We'd love to be able to get wireless microphones."

He credited Zee Morrissey as the dynamo who put the calendar together. "We tried to make sure it was helpful," Cassara said, regarding meetings and events listings. "A lot of people made sizeable donations to make The Common Ground happen, so we were hoping the community would help to keep it going without stepping on each other's toes. I think Zee came up with a terrific idea."

Morrissey said a light bulb went off when Marianne Fulfaro brought a Plymouth, New Hampshire calendar with a similar tongue‑in‑cheek approach to a board meeting.

A couple of huge commitments included posing for the photos and having the photography donated. Morrissey approached about 50 people and, yes, most posed with clothes on.

"We have about 25 in the calendar," she said. "Tina Annibell of Annibell Mortgage approached Angela Benvenuto of Inner Light Yoga and asked if her husband Alex would donate his photography." Alex Benvenuto of Roma Photography said yes and the calendar participation began snowballing after the DownTown crew posed."

There were some pretty funny moments along the way. The mother and daughter team of Tina and Kathy Annibell from Annibell Mortgage posed on the roof of Tina's home this summer, causing quite a stir.

Claire and Dave Smith of the Printsmith can be seen in a humorous rendition of the painting, American Gothic; the staff at Cornucopia, the village's health food store, is photographed in a rare moment of relaxation; and members of The Pilot Club strut their stuff with saucy hats and parasols.

Then there's the cover. "Everyone asks about the cover," Morrissey said. At first glance, The Common Ground's pavilion, garden, walkway and labyrinth stand out in all their summer glory.

But peeking from the flowers and pathways are Grace Papagno, Nancy Angermaier and Marianne Fulfaro with watering cans and wheel barrows. Angermaier, the Common Ground president and a master gardener, Papagno and Fulfaro are part of the gardening team. "The big question was 'How did you do that?"

Morrissey said. "And the girls all say 'quickly!'"

The Sayville‑A Model Community 2006 Calendar will be sold at the following businesses and stores: Annibell Mortgage, Cornucopia, DownTown Salon, Kayla's Kards, Runaway Bay Books and the Sayville Inn. The calendars will sell for $11. Morrissey said plans are under way for a 2007 calendar.

Pictured:

Marianne Fulfaro, (left to right) Grace Papagno, Zee Morrissey (rear) and Pam Raymond all posed for the Sayville ‑ A Model Community 2006 Calendar, a takeoff of Yorkshire housewives who posed for the Women's Institute calendar. The cal­endar will benefit programs at The Common Ground. SCN/Leuzzi

May 2004

Earth Day

A Common Ground for the common good

Sayville – This weekend members of the Rotary volunteered to paint the new performance pavilion at The Common Ground. 

While the Rotarians were painting, The Common Ground Members were busy setting the pattern for the new labyrinth that begins installation this week. 

The weather and spirit of cooperation made both teams enjoy the day at the park.  Labyrinth volunteers are Marianne Fulfaro, Jordan Markowitz, Debi Corbin, Nancy Angermeier, and Suzanne Robilotta.

May 9, 2002

Earth Day

Pictured Front, left to right- County Legislator Bill Lindsay, SVIS president Susanne Robliotta, Marianna Fulfaro, Assemblyman Steve Levy, County Legislator Ginny Fields, Rotary president Betty Whitehouse, Pilot Club president Pat Sedlak and Rotarian Marie Weiss. Back Row, left-to right: Kiwanis representative Adele Bolger, Rotarian Shaun Weiss, Islip Town Councilman Chris Bodkin, Rotarian Andrea Giannattasio, Rotary Garden Chairperson Zee Morrissey and Rotarian Pam Raymond.
SCN/Marie Weiss

A Promising Start for a Reflective Garden

About 200 people joined for breakfast last Saturday at Sayville's Land's End, to kick off fundraising for a Reflective Garden in Rotary Park (between Candee and Gillette Avenues). The garden will commemorate the victims and heroes of the September 11 terrorist attacks.

Rotary Club member Andrea Giannattasio, who with fellow Rotarians Zee Morrissey and Marie Weiss is coordinating the garden project, told the gathering, "Sayville has a great front yard - we have Main Street, we have the service organizations like the Sayville Village Improvement Society (SVIS), the Kiwanis, the Pilot Club, the Rotary, Keep Islip Clean, the Brownies, the Scouts... We also have the title of the friendliest town in America'. We also have a great back yard-'the bay. With your help, we'll also have a great middle yard-this garden."

It was an event with a quietly warm feel to it, and people were inclined to be generous. Land's End donated all the food and service. Music was provided by harpist Mary O'Malley, a junior at Sayville High School. At the breakfast, local businessman Richard Hopper donated a sprinkler system for the park. An anonymous donor has contributed a gazebo. The Kiwanis Club is donating a bench. Organizers estimate that the event raised $5,000 for the park renovation.
Giannattasio, told those attending that enthusiasm or the project runs high and suggestions are pouring in as to what features the garden should include. "The vision that's coming together is now one of healing," she, said.

Marianna Fulfaro, who is recommending a labyrinth design said, "A labyrinth is a meditative tool for self-discovery." Fulfaro designed the labyrinth on the grounds of St. John's Episcopal Church in West Sayville.

Andrea Giannattasio reminded those gathered that there was a suggestion box outside in the lobby, along with sketches of the preliminary design by master gardener Louise Estabrook. "Stay focused, stay excited," she said.
Some ideas for inclusion in the Reflective Garden are art displays, an annual Frisbee toss, a reflective bench, a dog fountain, an annual snow sculpting event, and wedding weekends.

One feature which may be included in the design is a plaque engraved with this poem by Emma Casey, 12:

I Can't Imagine

I can't imagine a world that's peaceful,
Now that this has begun
My life before was as an ignorant child,
Pain was just a nightmare.
Now I, watch TV with wide eyes
My mind races with the images on it,
Innocent people,
Running and running.
Far far away.
I just can't believe it
We are using lives for weapons.
The cruelty of the human race
Is becoming a household subject.
I weep myself to sleep,
Thinking about dreams that were lost,
The children with peace in their hearts.
It's so hard to imagine.

Several elected officials were also in attendance to show their support for the, garden project. Referring to the terrorist attack and its aftermath, Islip Town, Councilman Chris Bodkin said, “It's chilling and frightening. It's changed all of us, and we don't even know if it's over yet. Many of us absolutely need a quiet place to go for solace." Pledging whatever help he can offer, Bodkin added, "Let's all pull together to get this done." (Islip town permits would be needed for electrical work and water pipes.)

County Legislator Ginny Fields said, “This community isn't what it is out of luck. You have a core group of committed people, here, whereas in other communities there isn't the same enthusiasm, the care, the attention to detail. I took forward to seeing the result of your endeavors."
Commending the project and the unity it represents, Assemblyman Steve Levy said, "I think our enemies may be surprised at, how we came together." County Legislator William Lindsay said, "I think it's important that we have something in our community to remember that dreadful day ...and to remind us to never let it happen again.

The garden committee is hoping for donations of plants and volunteer hours. As a fundraising too, paving bricks are being sold for $50 apiece. Bricks are suitable for engraving (three lines of 16 characters apiece) and can be ordered on donor forms - available at the Bank of New York, Dutch Door Realty, Sayville Inn, Patchworks, and other Sayville business establishments. It is hoped that the first event will be a bulb planting, and the public is invited to pitch in. For information or to volunteer, call Andrea, Zee Morrissey, or Marie Weiss.

-Nancy Keating

January 17, 2002

Around the Town
 

Suffolk County News

Rotary’s Breakfast and Fund-Raiser ~

For the Sayville Rotary Club’s Reflective Garden Project, 9-11 a.m. at the Land’s End, Browns River Road, Sayville.  Donation $25, all monies go toward the project, which was inspired by the September 11 tragedy and will be dedicated to all the heroes in our lives.