The holidays are off to a great start in Oyster Bay, and with a great ripple effect. The First Presbyterian Church kicked off the activities with its annual Victorian Fair held in their parish hall on Friday, Nov. 21 and Saturday, Nov. 22. On Sunday, Nov. 23, a group of Oyster Bay High School students were busy putting together and numbering 200 cartons ready to hold Thanksgiving fixings for collection on Monday and Tuesday and distribution on Wednesday for the CSAC Holiday Sharing Program.
Additionally, all the donations to the Victorian Fair that were not sold were being packed into a truck for the Lupus Foundation of America to sell at its outlets. And, on Friday night a group of regular attendees come to the fair to avail themselves of the donated clothing on sale. They carry the goods off to other communities.
The Holiday Sharing Program has a long history in Oyster Bay, started by Ginnie Rothschild, Rene Harer, Eve Bernstein and Joe Ferraro, it was a project of the Committee for Social Action of the Interreligious And Human Needs Council. For many years Bernstein chaired the event, which involves sending out letters for donations and contacting local schools for donations and arranging for volunteers to pack the boxes. Today local school students do the packing.
Recently, Carol and Randy Daub took over the holiday sharing events and this year, a new team is easing into the leadership spot: Ingrid Morales, YFCA outreach coordinator for special events and Melanie Paez, parent, child, home coordinator. It is fitting that they take over the helm since the names of the families that need help is coordinated by YFCA.
“We are the new Carol and Randy. This is a transitional year. They are passing the torch on to us,” said Morales.
Morales said this year they are serving 92 families, each of which receives two cartons of donated food, including fresh vegetables, including potatoes, onions and carrots.
Students from local schools including Harmony Heights and East Woods helped in both donating items and helping to sort the foodstuffs into boxes. Paez said a really cute group came from Oyster Babies, between 3 and 5 years old.
“Each took a can and put it on the stage. That was adorable,” Paez said. On Tuesday afternoon, Morales had her social work students from Adelphi helping out with the sorting. Nicole Ganzer, a graduate of St. Dominic High School, wants to make a difference as a social worker. The other intern, Ashley Gitlitz of Bellmore, said she is interested in being an advocate for those in need.
The Holiday Sharing Program gives Stop & Shop gift cards to about 25 seniors. Frozen turkeys are also given to the families and are donated by many local service groups, including the Italian American Club. This year the North Shore Assembly of God gave out turkeys to people in need.
The YFCA also has an Adopt-A-Family program for about 25 families. Morales said she has already been getting calls from families who take on the project that can cost them a few hundred dollars since the wish lists include cold weather clothing: hats, coat, boots and gloves.
The program continues with a toy drive, and boxes are already set up at the OBEN Library for donations. You may also send a check/donation to the Community Social Action Council, P.O. Box 231, Oyster Bay, NY 11771.
YFCA Benefit Concert
The YFCA itself is the object of a musical benefit, a Christmas concert. This year Kathy Prinz of the Prinz Music Studio in Oyster Bay is holding their annual benefit concert for the YFCA and New Life Center Christmas Giving Program to support local Long Island community families in need. The concert is on Sunday, Dec. 14 at 4 p.m. at the Good Shepherd Lutheran Church & School, 99 Central Park Rd., Plainview. Admission is a canned food donation or a new unwrapped toy donation.
The concert features: Flute Magic! Flute Ensemble; Long Island Zither Ensemble; Oyster Bay Flute Choir; and a Christmas Carol Sing-a-long. For more information call 516-522-1230.
Helping Veterans
Oyster Bay has also been involved in helping homeless veterans. The American Legion Post No. 4 collected clothing to give to homeless veterans, in a collection organized by Reggie Butt, American Legion commander. He helped gather items to send to a Nov. 25 event for homeless veterans held at the Freeport Armory.
He explained, “It‘s a Nassau County facility and they allow us to use it for this event. It is done by the United Veterans made up of 23 different veterans organizations. They bring in homeless veterans and give them haircuts, eye exams, showers. They outfit them with donated clothing and new underwear and socks. Dario’s of Rockville Centre donated 25 cooked turkeys for a Thanksgiving dinner for the veterans. They also get food to take home. Then they fit them out for eyeglasses. They have donated eyeglasses that they check for a match. The VA and several service organizations are also there to see if they can help the vets.”
So all in all, Oyster Bay has been sharing its blessing with the larger community as it celebrates the holidays.
