Oyster Bay’s Life Enrichment Center had its annual meeting on Tuesday, May 28, when new officers are elected and family and friends were invited for food and entertainment.
The newly elected board president is Susan R. Peterson, who joined the board in 1993.
Peterson has served on the board of LECOB (formerly Doubleday Babcock) for almost 20 years. She has been an active member of the bylaws committee and in fundraising, including the Garden Soirees and Day at the Races.
She is a philosophy professor at Nassau Community College, taught at LIU’s C.W. Post campus in the 1980s, and NYIT in the 1990s. Peterson is the principal/owner of A-1 Resumes.
“She brings energy and creativity, together with an extensive knowledge of the senior center, to her new role,” said Beth Polner Abrahams. The nominating committee, consisting of Abrahams, Peter Casparian (pastor of Christ Church) and Paul Rosen (Oyster Bay Manor) were pleased to recommend and then have the board confirm Susan as president of the LECOB Board.
The current board members include: Joan Kingsley, Esq. a VP, Edward Mohlenhoff, Esq. treasurer, and Patricia Azmitia, Ph.D. is secretary.
Board Retirees
Peterson explained that several board members retired from the board including Eileen Sheehan, former VP (has left the board but will remain a member of the center at the evening programs), Rev. Ken Nelson who is moving upstate, Dr. Anne Peirce who retired from Adelphi University and is moving to New England with her husband Nathaniel, former Headmaster of East Woods School. Frances Pinkerton and Dr. Frank X. Moore are retiring, since they spend most of their time in Florida. John Sant’Angelo retired as board president due to his new job with Hewlett Packard which requires travel, but remains on the board.
So six members left and six new ones arrived to keep the board healthy and active to support the ongoing success of LECOB.
New Board Members
The newly elected board members are:
Betsy Peirce Cochrane — Betsy is an attorney with Babson Capital Management. Her mother, Anne Peirce, has recently retired from the LECOB board as well as Adelphi University.
Elizabeth Brown is a registered nurse, formerly with Visiting Nursing Association in Oyster Bay, and now with Winthrop Hospital. She has been involved in health related programs for the senior center for many years.
Maureen Hardiman O’Connell is a financial advisor with Northwestern Mutual Life Insurance in Melville. She is an active member of the Oyster Bay/East Norwich community and has served on the local school board.
Judy Palumbo is a manager at an outdoor sporting goods store, EMS, and lives in Oyster Bay Cove.
Roy Lawrence is a retired business owner, longtime volunteer at LECOB’s day care program for frail seniors, Day Break, and has been involved with LECOB for many years. His wife plays the piano and they entertain at LEC a few days a week.
Dr. Surrinder Wadyal is a veterinarian with his own practice in Oyster Bay/East Norwich for almost 30 years. He is a member of other local groups including the Rotary and the Chamber of Commerce.
“We believe that each of these individuals are committed to the mission of LECOB, and bring their energy, expertise and creativity to the LECOB board,” commented Beth Polner Abrahams.
President’s Welcome
Board President Susan Peterson welcomed guests and said she was delighted with her new position.
“With this wonderful organization where I have served for the past 20 years. In the months ahead, I look forward to strengthening the center in its finances, services, organization, and staffing to the best of my ability.
“My focus will be on re-activating board committees to function smoothly on an ongoing basis, organizing meetings to be more productive and more inclusive, and encouraging an approach focused on positive support between seniors, leadership groups, staff and the board through mutual respect, civil communications, professionalism, and increased participation in events.”
Retirement News
President Peterson in introducing the six new members, said their diverse skills and abilities will enhance the board in many ways. She presented engraved individual cocktail ice buckets with tongs to the retiring board members as a small token of the board’s gratitude for their past service to LECOB.
Peterson said they were all surprised to find out that the Rev. Kenneth Nelson of Hood A.M.E. Zion Church is going to retire to upstate New York to live with his son Kenny, Jr., near Monticello. He has been on the board since 2005. He has delighted Oyster Bay residents with his clear a capella performances over the years. He is a board member of the Oyster Bay Historical Society.
Changing Hats
With a smile, Peterson put on her hat as Fundraising Chair of the Hat Day at the Races event on Sunday, June 23, at Belmont Race Track. It will honor Frances Pinkerton, a past event supporter, who is retiring from the board. Peterson encouraged members and friends to attend and or donate to the event in her honor. Regular tickets are $100, $45 for children, and includes lunch and racing from noon to 4 p.m.
She also reminded the board members that as part of their fundraising responsibilities, they are expected to take sponsorships, whether or not they can attend, beginning at $250, and sweetened it with the reminder that those attending will have their pictures taken in the Winner’s Circle for the Trophy Presentation for the race named after the center. There will be Ladies Hat and Men’s Tie contests, a 50/50 raffle, and a Raffle for Horse gift items.
Busy Center
Just to give readers a look into the center’s activities, they sent photographs taken by Joanne Daddio from the Book and Bake Sale (which was coordinated by their volunteers).
They included a book signing by author Anthony Fabbricante for his unique science fiction adventure story “Viro” and photos of their Memorial Day Remembrance Lunch, which were used in a story about local veterans on Memorial Day.
The Life Enrichment Center at Oyster Bay is located at 45 East Main Street, Oyster Bay. For more information please call 516-922-1770.
