World Trade Center I-beam arrives in Rocky Point

Originally published: September 2, 2010 10:21 PM
Updated: September 2, 2010 11:02 PM
By JENNIFER BARRIOS  jennifer.barrios@newsday.com

Photo credit: Photo by Charles Eckert

 ROCKY POINT, NEW YORK – SEPTEMBER 02, 2010:  Guardsmen from F Company, 69th Infantry Division, salute then fold a flag draping a piece of steel from the World Trade Center as they deliver it to the Rocky Point Fire Department for a future memorial.

Resting on the bed of the Fighting 69th’s tractor-trailer was a 16-foot steel I-beam from the World Trade Center, the rusted metal contorted by the hand of terrorism.

Fourteen-year-old John Staufer got goose bumps when he saw it. Lynn Logan, who was giving birth to her son as the towers fell, burst into tears. Mike and Pat Williams, whose 24-year-old son, Kevin, died that day in Tower Two where he worked in an investment firm, watched and remembered.

PHOTOS: Aerial images from 9/11 | Relics from Ground Zero | LIers at Ground Zero | Ground Zero immediately after 9/11

“I can almost envision that piece of steel next to Kevin when he passed on,” Mike Williams said. “It just doesn’t get any easier to see.”

Rocky Point received the beam from the Port Authority for a planned 9/11 memorial on Route 25A next to the firehouse.

Twelve National Guard soldiers from a 69th Regiment company based in Freeport accompanied the nearly 3,000 pounds of steel from Kennedy Airport, where pieces are stored, to Shoreham in a convoy of armored Humvees, a Heavy Expanded Mobility Tactical Truck wrecker and the tractor-trailer.

“It’s a tremendous honor to be called up for this particular mission and to move such a sacred relic,” said the detachment’s commander, Lou Delli-Pizzi of Bay Shore. “It’s part of American history.”

His company had been one of the first at the scene on 9/11 and lost two off-duty soldiers there. It went on to serve in Afghanistan and Iraq, where it lost 19 more.

Two soldiers unfolded an American flag and laid it atop the beam as if covering a casket. The audience then approached to stand for pictures beside the steel before going inside the firehouse for cake, cookies and remarks by Rep. Tim Bishop (D-Southampton), Assemb. Marc Alessi (D-Wading River), and state Sen. Kenneth LaValle (R-Port Jefferson).

Tom Logan, an ex-chief and chairman of the fire department’s 9/11 committee, said he hopes to raise about $30,000 for the memorial project. The fire district is donating land for the project at Route 25A and Tesla Street. So far, organizers have about $6,000 in hand.

“It was overwhelming, it really was,” Logan said of Thursday’s event. He added that a former member of the department died on 9/11. “We were all here, and we all did relief efforts for 9/11 when it happened,” he said, “so it’s coming back full circle.”

Logan’s wife, Lynn Logan, who was in labor with the couple’s son as the towers fell, couldn’t stop her tears Thursday.

“Even nine years later, it’s very emotional,” she said. “It’s tough.”

John Staufer, a ninth-grader at Shoreham-Wading River High School and cousin of Logan’s son, said he was struck by several thoughts as he gazed at the wreckage.

“When I saw it pull up, the first thing that came to my mind was everyone who was there that day,” he said. “Then I looked down at my cousin, and this joy came to me. Out of this tragedy came new life.”

Cleaning for Heroes

***FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE***
Changing the Lives of Heroes, One Household at a Time
Fire, Police and US Military Benefit Through Non-Profit Organization
(Warwick, RI) 08/06/10 – Giving honor to veterans and service members can happen every day
of the year if you really put your mind to it. While many people enjoy long weekends and holidays like
Memorial Day, Independence Day, or Veteran’s Day, one Rhode Island maid service owner decided that
every day was worth giving honor, and decided to do something about it.
Earlier this year, Anne Aldridge, owner of Ocean State House Cleaning in Warwick, Rhode Island
went searching for a non-profit organization that was able to link up cleaning services like hers with
disabled veterans who needed house cleaning services but were unable to afford them. She was unable
to find any such organization dedicated to this cause. Knowing that there was a need for such services,
she founded a non-profit organization that would be able to fill this need and Cleaning for Heroes was
born. Anne is no stranger to the sacrifices of veterans. She is the daughter of a Vietnam-era Navy
veteran, the granddaughter of a World War II veteran, and the great-granddaughter of a World War I
veteran. Thousands of soldiers who have served in Iraq and Afghanistan are returning to civilian life with
moderate to severe physical injuries. Disabling and traumatic events such as loss of limbs, head trauma
and debilitating illnesses make it difficult for these men and women to meet the demands of everyday
life such as cleaning and maintaining their homes. There are hundreds of thousands of other veterans
from World War II, the Korean War, the Vietnam War and the Gulf War who also have disabling injuries.
The applications and referrals that Cleaning for Heroes receives speak to this need. Examples of
client requests include a quadriplegic Iraq veteran whose wife is pregnant with triplets, a Marine who
lost both hands from a rocket propelled grenade, a Korean veteran whose cardiologist asked for special
considerations on his behalf, a Vietnam veteran who can’t push a mower or vacuum, and a World War II
veteran whose grandson asked for assistance because his grandfather’s pride “got in the way.”
Sometimes it takes only one message sent to their 3,000+ Facebook fans to find the provider quickly.
Other times they find it necessary to place the applicant on a waiting list while they continue recruiting
providers through other channels. There are approximately 25-50 applications being processed and
matched with a service provider at any given time.
The residual effect of providing free household services can improve the health and overall wellbeing
of the recipients and their families, allowing the veterans more time to focus on their healing,
family bonding, community involvement and productivity. In many cases, the assistance given by
Cleaning for Heroes to promote a healthy healing environment can prevent recurring hospitalizations or
placement into a nursing home. By keeping the veterans in their own homes, this helps maintain the dignity of the veteran and saves taxpayers the cost of absorbing any additional medical care given by military treatment facilities. Cleaning for Heroes added their National Spokesperson and Co-Executive Director, Torrey Shannon, in April of 2010. Torrey is the wife of SSG John Daniel Shannon, a combat-wounded veteran
who was featured in the Pulitzer-Prize winning stories in The Washington Post in 2007 and later testified
before Congress about veteran care issues. Torrey, a former maid service owner, has been a peer
mentor and moderator on many online residential cleaning forums over the years and remains actively
involved in the cleaning industry. She is most recognized as an advocate and expert on quality-of-life
topics that affect veterans and their families Within four months of the launch of this ground-breaking program, the Cleaning for Heroes
network of maid services were spanning the nation and reaching into Canada. The response from the
public was overwhelmingly positive. Torrey Shannon reflects on a powerful comment that one of their call center employees shared
about the passion found behind this program. While processing applications that were received by
veterans and noting their pleas for help, the employee realized the requests came from people who just
wanted to maintain their dignity and their homes. Knowing that Torrey is a fulltime caretaker for her
severely injured husband, she confided: “Now I get it. I’m reading the applicant notes and every single
one makes me cry. I intellectually understood your passion before, but… I think I’m starting to truly ‘get
it’.” This passion paid off. The Cleaning for Heroes team realized their three-year strategic plan was
accomplished in only four months, but they also knew their mission had only begun. After careful
planning and consideration, they opened the program to involve a wider scope of residential services.
The program now incorporates 24 additional residential field service industries providing services like
carpet cleaning, air duct cleaning, mold remediation, pest control, lawn care, and simple home repair
services. Professional companies ranging from individually-owned and operated businesses to large
franchises are all given the opportunity to make a difference in the lives of the veterans in their
communities. Screened and approved providers who join the Cleaning for Heroes network agree to provide
free services every month to eligible veterans. Each veteran receives an average of four months of
ongoing household services. Each business that joins is given three options to “pledge” a comfortable
amount of donated services per year. In turn, these network providers are recognized by their
communities as a caring and socially responsible business that operates with a moral compass, many
times winning new clients over a competitor who is not part of the program. Cleaning for Heroes also
helps the business grow within their own community with the use of the free marketing and networking
tools they receive for joining the program. Funding for ongoing assistance for their high-risk clients is evaluated on a case-by-case basis.
Unlike other network assistance programs, Cleaning for Heroes does not charge any “membership” fees
to participate in their program. They feel the program costs can be absorbed more easily by their
sponsors than to burden the smaller companies who are already performing the free services. Not only
do the sponsors provide the funding for the program, but they also provide discounts and free products
to the network providers. This contribution helps defray the smaller company’s expenses for the free
services given to their community, and at the same time, brings more visibility for the sponsor to be
recognized by the general public for their corporate social responsibility.
Teresa Ward, owner of Teresa’s Family Cleaning in Rocky Point, New York explains: “It’s just the
right thing to do.” “Heroes come in many forms.” says Torrey Shannon. She adds, “You don’t have to be a combat
veteran to be a hero. I consider those who give their time, money, or concern to this program as
everyday heroes.” Based on the same concept that our nation’s heroes volunteered to serve their country and
communities, Cleaning for Heroes is an all-volunteer effort that brings donors, providers and recipients
together. Cleaning for Heroes relies on volunteers, sponsors and donors who can contribute their time,
money or services to the needs of their applicants. If you would like more information on how you can
improve the lives of heroes in your community, or would like to apply for assistance, please visit their
website at www.cleaningforheroes.org or call (401) 732-7856.
# # #
Note to Editor: Background information is available at www.cleaningforheroes.org. You may also learn
more about the history of Cleaning for Heroes and get updates and current events for the program by
visiting their blog at www.cleaningforheroes.posterous.com. If you would like to interview Torrey
Shannon or learn more about this topic, please contact Torrey at (757) 536-2743 or by email:
Torrey@cleaningforheroes.org

Annual Cocktail Party for Maureen’s Haven
Sunday, September 05, 2010  6:00 PM    

The home of Kay Kidde
521 Main Street
Westhampton Beach (Quiogue), NY 11978
Annual Cocktail Party for Maureen’s Haven – Hors d’oeuvres by the Inn Spot and Raw Bar. Honoring Crieghton Berry and the volunteers of Immaculate Conception Church – WHB, St. Agnes Church – Greenport and Sacred Heart Church – Cutchogue. $125 per person, $150 at the door, $75 per house guest or new friends and $50 for Maureen’s Haven Volunteers.   

For more information: Jennifer Truscott -  RSVP  (jtruscott@consultparagon.com) 631.258.4716 (phone) 

Back To Business @ the Westbury Manor!!!   

516Ads.com & 631Ads.com / FREE Networking Night
‘Collecting School Supplies for HBGC’ 
Wednesday September 8, 2010 6PM-8PM 
The Westbury Manor - http://WestburyManor.com  1100 Jericho Turnpike Westbury, NY 11590
516Ads.com & 631Ads.com  is proud to be teaming up with event sponsors Matt Matza - CommandForce.com, Teresa Ward - http://TeresasFamilyCleaning.com , Arthur Katz - Knockout Pest Control - http://KnockoutPest.com ,  John C. Dnyprowsky - Advantage Payroll Services - http://liadvantage.com , Roger Kahn - Champion Office Suites - http://virtualofficeny.com , The Ruffin Advisory Group’s Chesley Ruffin - 516-209-2717 & Helen Zagaro - StarPromoz.com for what should be a BIG TIME night of igniting business and school supplies for The Hempstead Boys & Girls Club -  http://hbgclub.org . Great people, great cause, FREE food, quality networking, hope to see you there!   

A Must-Attend Event for anyone who owns a business
or is starting a business:
The 6th Annual
Building Business in Brookhaven
Tuesday, Sept. 14, 2010 5:30 pm – 9 pm 

Guest Speaker:
Supervisor Mark Lesko  

Finance, Marketing, Franchise Opportunities, Social Networking
There is no charge for this event.
Light Dinner will be served. For more information on Brookhaven Town’s largest networking event, please contact the Economic Development Office at 631-451-6563 FREE Workshops available Legal Experts (and more!) will be available to answer your questions.
Also present will be:
NYS Small Business Development Center Representatives
Small Business Administration (SBA) Representatives
Talk to Representatives from the Town of Brookhaven
For more information on Brookhaven Town’s largest networking event,
please contact the Economic Development Office at 631-451-6563
or e-mail sbac@brookhaven.org  Location: Brookhaven Town Hall, One Independence Hill, Farmingville, NY 11738   

516Ads.com & 631Ads.com / FREE Networking Night
Tuesday September 14, 2010 6PM
Ruby Tuesday
2120 Broad Hollow Road
Farmingdale, NY 11735 

516Ads.com & 631Ads.com is proud to be teaming up with event sponsors Rick Rosa, CPA - Sattler & Company, CPA’s  jsatco.com, Mike Cousins - State Farm Owner/ Broker – mikeprotectsmyfamily.com, Virginia Paccione - Career Connection Services, Inc.- 631-539-6551, Islandwide Realty’s Michele Michael - 631-245-2674, Computer Repair pro Tom McCabe Herotechs.biz & Morgan Stanley-Smith Barney Financial Advisor – Brandon Abbe 516-336-0792 for what should be a BIG TIME night of networking @ Ruby Tuesday!!! In addition to a night of quality networking, we’ll be collecting supplies for area veteran’s facilities. Great people!!! FREE FOOD!!! Worthy Cause!!! It should be a great one!!! Hope to see you there!!!  

LIA Turbo Networking
Joint Networking with the Smithtown Chamber of Commerce
Thurs., Sept. 16, 2010
Mercedes-Benz of Smithtown
8:30 a.m. Continental Breakfast
9 – 11:00 a.m. Program   

Fast, fun and productive, Turbo Networking maximizes your time and networking efforts.  You prepare your “elevator speech” and we’ll provide a dance card to proceed through a series of facilitated round table discussions.Limited to one representative per company & ten percent representation per industry  – register now to secure your spot! To learn more, click here.   

DISCOVER THE SECRETS FOR UNDERSTANDING:  MEN     *     MONEY     *   MARRIAGE   

• IMPROVE YOUR RELATIONSHIP WITH THE OPPOSITE SEX
• LEARN HOW MEN & WOMEN COMMUNICATE DIFFERENTLY ABOUT MONEY
• MARRIAGE IS NOT All WINE AND ROSES

FREE seminar sponsored by Mina Higgins Group and Mediation & Collaborative Action Group  LIMITED SEATING~ LIGHT REFRESHMENTS “TRANSFORM YOUR RELATIONSHIP TODAY”  MONDAY, SEPT. 20, 2010 6:00-7:30 PM 555 BROADHOLLOW ROAD, SUITE 404 MELVILLE, NY 11747 ~ CALL FOR MORE INFORMATION and RESERVE YOUR SPOT TODAY…. 631-393-4456  

516Ads.com & 631Ads.com / FREE Networking Night
Monday September 20, 2010 6PM
Retro
10 Brooklyn Avenue
Freeport, NY 11520 

516Ads.com & 631Ads.com is proud to be teaming up with the Georgia Grant led  Freeport Business & Professional Resource Group; bringing Igniting Business to Freeport!!! Thanks to event sponsors Ary Rosenbaum - The Rosenbaum Law Firm P.C. – TheRosenbaumLawFirm.com, Mike Cousins - State Farm Owner/ Broker – mikeprotectsmyfamily.com, Alan Goldberg - wellsysNY.com, John C. Dnyprowsky - Advantage Payroll Services – liadvantage.com, Kenneth Zwiebel - Credit Restoration & Management – Creditram.com & The North Coast Financial Group’s Jacqueline C. McDermott - http://northcoast.metlife.com/index.cfm   in addition to a night of networking we’ll be collecting canned food for Island Harvest. For more info on how you can help/ volunteer visit – islandharvest.volunteerhub.com or contact Dorian Stern - Business Development Manager – (516) 294-8528 x113. Great people, great cause, FREE food, quality networking, hope to see you there!!!  

Slideshow for The Moxxie Event 8/12/10

Slideshow Southampton Event 2010

CLICK THE ABOVE IMAGE AND START NOMINATING YOUR “BEST OF LONG ISLAND”. 
If you love our service then nominate us in the Cleaning catergory under Shopping /Services. After the nominating ends then the Voting Begins!

Women’s Wall of Fame graces county building

July 14, 2010 | 02:26 PM
County Executive Steve Levy joins many of the inductees at the ceremony Monday in Hauppauge.

County Executive Steve Levy joins many of the inductees at the ceremony Monday in Hauppauge.

They clean the homes of cancer patients for free. They ensure the hungry have food. They work to end drunk driving. They care for the mentally ill and victims of abuse when no one else will.

They are the altruistic and accomplished women of Suffolk, and now they have a wall of honor.

Suffolk Executive Steve Levy unveiled the county women’s wall of honor in the lobby of the H. Lee Dennison Building Monday evening. The southwest corner of the first-floor plaza now contains the 29 pictures of the inductees into the Women’s Hall of Fame since its inception in 1994.

“I think it’s very nice [the inductees] are being honored for the work they do and to acknowledge that someone is paying attention,” said Dena Cohen, president of the Long Island Chapter of Mothers Against Drunk Driving, who was named to the Hall of Fame in 2007. “I’m honored to be honored.”

The wall was inspired by similar monuments Levy said he observed in Legislature chambers in Albany during his stint as state assemblyman. After being elected county executive in 2003, he increased the number of honorees per year from the one-to-two previously named, Levy said, as there are so many deserving women recognizing them would “take forever” at that rate.

“We still aren’t even touching the surface of the number of quality women who have contributed back to their county,” the executive said.

“I’m very honored to be up there on the wall with all these great women,” said Teresa Ward, a 2009 inductee. Ward is owner of the Rocky Point-based Teresa’s Family Cleaning. She began the New York Chapter of Cleaning for a Reason, in which her company cleans the homes of breast-cancer patients free of charge.

Sr. Pat Griffith, a Catholic Sister of Mercy, founded Mercy Haven 25 years ago when public mental hospitals began closing, leaving their wards with no place to go. The organization now spans 40 properties across the Island and houses victims of mental illness and itinerant families with children.

Levy said when he met Sr. Pat years ago he “learned that God really does have people placed on earth to work on his behalf.”

Frances Watkins of Kings Park, a 2009 inductee, founded and directed the county’s Emergency Food Pantry Network in 1970. The pantries were located at an inter-denominational network of churches and offered sustenance to the working poor. These are not people on welfare, Watkins said, but “people who work every day of the week and by the end of the month can’t afford food” because other needs like shelter and utility costs intervened.

By the time she retired in 1991, the network had 827 emergency food pantries across Suffolk. Watkins has also served as foster mother to 11 developmentally disabled children.

Marion McNulty of Miller Place entered the Hall of Fame in 2006. McNulty was the first woman elected to countywide judicial office in Suffolk’s 300-year history — she is the judge overseeing matrimonial matters for county Family Court — and is the founder of Suffolk’s Women’s Bar Association.

The wall “is a wonderful testament to the women who have given so much to the county over the years,” said McNulty.

Other honorees include Julie Woodley (2009) of Setauket, who founded Restoring the Heart Ministries to support victims of abuse and holds fundraising dinners for families of deceased 9/11 victims and U.S. military members; former and first female Stony Brook University President Shirley Strum Kenny (1999); Brooke Ellison (2009) of Stony Brook, author, public speaker and stem-cell research advocate; Middle Country Public Library Director Sandy Feinberg (2008) of Stony Brook, who led the creation of regional resources like the Community Resource Database of Long Island, Mid-Suffolk Regional Literacy Program and Miller Business Resource Center; and Karen Acompora of Fort Salonga, who founded the Louis J. Acompora Foundation to provide free defibrillators to schools following the tragic death of her son.

Copyright 2010 | (631) 751-7744 | www.northshoreoflongisland.com | about | email us

RUMBLE!!!!

We have a winner!

Teresa officially enters the ring to Fight for charity in November. So Please keep checking http://www.lifightforcharity.org for updates, and sponsorship availabilities.