Residential Rehabilitation Program

JULY-SEPTEMBER EDITION

Message from Supervisor Edward P. Romaine INSIDE THIS ISSUE: Welcome to the July – September edition of the Town of Brookhaven Happy Talk Gazette. It was great seeing thousands of residents once again participating in our Senior Citizen Division’s Senior Citizen Picnic Photos 2 & 3 Annual May Rally and Senior Picnic. While we know great food and music always draws a crowd, the most gratifying part of these

Senior Services 4 & 5 events is seeing so many Brookhaven residents connecting and re- connecting socially. Remembrance 6 Our Senior Citizen Division continuously focuses on providing programs and ser-

Wood Carvers 7 vices that not only meet the needs of senior residents in Brookhaven Town, but also Group provide an avenue to meet other members of the community and engage with each Senior Club News 8 other socially. Please read through and enjoy this edition of the Town of Brookhaven Happy Talk

Line Dancing 9 Gazette, and if you or someone you know could benefit from any of the programs Lessons or services provided by our Senior Division, please call (631) 451-9191. Acabellas Group Clear Captions Ad 10 Joke Corner

May Rally Photos 11

Events Residential Rehabilitation Program 12 & Activities Brookhaven Town can provide accessibility and other housing safety improvements to owner occupied, income eligible households through a mix of no- interest deferred loans and forgivable liens. Funding for the program is provided through the New York State Housing and Community Renewal Access to Home Veterans Grant (Access to Home), and Federal U.S. Housing and Urban Develop- ment Community Block Grant (CDBG) funds. Eligibility for the Access to Home accessibility improvements requires the veteran’s disability to be certified by the Veterans Administration. If, however, you are not eligible for Access to Home Funding, you may be eligible for the CDBG program. Please contact the Town of Brookhaven’s Department of Hous- ing and Human Services at (631) 451-6600, or visit our website for more information. http://www.brookhavenny.gov/Departments/Housing-Human-Services/ Home-Improvement JULY - SEPTEMBER 2018 I S S U E P A G E 2 P A G E 3

Hot food and cold drinks were served to heart-warming company at this year's Town of Brookhaven Senior Citizens Division's Annual Senior Picnic. We would like to thank our sponsors: King Kullen and Sam's Club in Medford. P A G E 4 JULY - SEPTEMBER 2018 I S S U E

Located at the junction of Route 25A and Patchogue-Mt. Sinai Rd (Rte. 83), the Rose Caracappa Senior Center is the setting for a wide array of multi-generational activities such as: workshops, book discussions, game playing, bridge and mahjongg. There are also classes for exercise, yoga, dancing, foreign language, and introduction to the internet. Residents are welcome to drop in and visit the center. The center is open Monday through Friday, 9:00am—4:30pm (excluding holidays). Many of the activities are free or have a minimal fee. Call the center for details at 631-476-6449 or 631-476-6431.

The “Comfort Aids” organization lends medical equipment such as walkers, wheelchairs, commodes, canes and shower chairs at no cost to Town of Brookhaven residents. Supplies are limited and distributed on a first-come first-served basis. Donations are accepted and greatly appreciated. These services are offered at the following Town recreation centers:

Henrietta Acampora in Blue Point—631-363-5193 New Village in Centereach—631-732-2338 Robert E. Reid Sr. in Shoreham—631-744-2601

One of the most popular programs the Town offers to our Seniors is the Nutrition Program. You can participate at one of two locations. The North Shore Nutrition Center is located within the Rose Caracappa Senior Center at 739 Route 25A in Mount Sinai. The Bay Area Nutrition Center is located within the Mastic Recreation Center at 15 Herkimer Street in Mastic. Each site provides a nutritious lunch in a friendly, social atmosphere. A menu of delicious meals is planned by a registered dietician and served Monday through Friday. This program also gives seniors the opportunity to socialize, meet new friends, and participate in many activities that are offered at both sites. Transportation service is provided upon availability. For more information, please call 631-451-9081. The Nutrition Program also offers the Meals on Wheels service. Are you homebound? Would you like your meals delivered to your home? Or, would you like to become a Volunteer and make a difference in your community? If interested, call the North Shore Nutrition Center at 631-476-6446 or the Bay Area Nutrition Center at 631-281-7679.

There is a suggested voluntary and anonymous contribution of $2 for lunch. Funded by Suffolk County Office for the Aging, New York State Office for the Aging & U.S. Administration for Community Living. P A G E 5

Helpline is a free telephone reassurance service for isolated or homebound seniors. Our program provides human contact with a daily reassurance call, letting clients know that someone is there for them. Helpline volunteers reach out with a friendly voice, asking how you’re do- ing, answering questions, providing information about Town or County services, or just lending an ear from one person to another. If you know a senior citizen in need of this service or would like to sign up, please call the Town of Brookhaven Senior Citizens Division at 451-9191.

The Town of Brookhaven Jitney Transportation Program is a shared ride, curb to curb service provided to our residents who are 60 years of age and over or disabled, cannot drive, or have no other means of transportation. Transportation is provided to medical facilities and gro- cery shopping. Medical transportation is provided on a first-come first- served basis and is by appointment only. For more information and an application, call 631-451-9081 or 631- 451-9082, Monday-Friday between 7:00 am and 3:30 pm. There is a small fee for this service. Some restrictions apply.

The Residential Repair Program provides senior citizens assistance with mi- nor home repairs that do not require the skills of a licensed craftsperson. THIS IS NOT AN EMERGENCY SERVICE. There is no charge for this service, however, client must purchase any materials required. When the work is com- pleted, clients are given the opportunity to make a voluntary contribution to the program. For more information and/or an application, please call 631-451- 9092. Funding is provided by the Suffolk County Office for the Aging and the United States Department of Health and Human Services through the New York State Office for the Aging. JULY - SEPTEMBER 2018 I S S U E P A G E 6 A New York Story By Frank Petrignani

When Anthony Gasparino was born in the Clinton Hills section of Brooklyn, New York on December 4, 1915, things were a little different than they are today. According to usinflationcalculator.com, what would cost $50 in 1915, would cost $1,240.33 today. “In those days we still had cobblestone streets and horses still pulled some of the fire engines,” Mr. Gaspa- rino said. “There were always horse and buggies in the streets.” When he was eighteen years old, Mr. Gaspa- rino’s first job was working in a printing shop. He was paid $17 for working six days a week. “Those were happy times,” he said. Mr. Gasparino reflected back to the days before television, when everyone in the neighborhood would sit on their front stoop and listen to the radio. “We would stay outside until ten o’clock at night and everyone in the neighborhood knew each other,” he said. In 1941, Mr. Gasparino married his wife, Delores, and they lived together for seventy years. Soon after marrying Delores, he entered the police academy, and his first day on the job was June 13, 1943. Mr. Gasparino worked out of the 88th Precinct in Brooklyn for more than twenty-one years. He and his wife had four children; three boys and one girl. Two of his sons became police officers, with one son becoming a captain and another son a sergeant. As a Yankee fan living in Brooklyn, Mr. Gasparino said some of his favorite players were Mickey Mantle and Joe DiMaggio. He was even at Yankee Stadium on October 8, 1956 when Don Larsen threw the only perfect game in World Series history against the rivaled Brooklyn Dodgers. A lot has changed since Mr. Gasparino watched that perfect game at Yankee Stadium almost sixty-two years ago. However, he still tunes-in to every game. “I listen to the Yankees every night,” he said. “I don’t see so well, so I listen through the television.” After living in Brooklyn and Queens, Mr. Gasparino moved to Brookhaven Town fifteen years ago pur- chasing a home in Port Jefferson Station, where he still lives today. He said the adjustment from city life has not been difficult. “I like it out here, it’s nice,” he said. At one-hundred and two years old, Mr. Gasparino said the secret to his health is simple. “Coney Island hot dogs and French fries. I was never big on the greens, so I never ate too much of them.”

On June 26th Supervisor Edward P. Romaine honored Anthony Gasparino at the New Village Recreation Center in Centereach. Mr. Gasparino was born in Brooklyn, NY in December of 1915 during President Woodrow Wilson’s first term.

If you have an interesting personal story you would like to share for consideration in an upcoming issue of the Happy Talk Gazette, please contact Frank Petrignani at 631-451-6547. P A G E 7 Making Friends Through a Hobby By Frank Petrignani

The Suffolk County Woodcarvers Guild (SCWG) is a group of men and women who enjoy woodcarving as a social get together. Experience is not necessary and lessons are available to those who are looking to learn free of charge. During meetings there are also planned showcases and special- events. “This is a tremendous service to the seniors,” longtime member Bob Hallock said. “I am going to be eighty-four years old and this gives me an opportunity to get out of the house, socialize and do something I love to do with people who have similar in- terests.” “The people are nice, and I love working with my hands,” SCWG member Ron- nie Steiner said. “It’s a great place to come and spend time with friends.” Bob is one of the guild’s more advanced carvers. He was even selected to carve a Christmas tree ornament for the White House in 1999, when former President Bill Clinton was in office. “I don’t know where they got my name, but one day I received a letter in the mail from the White House,” Bob said. In response to the request, he carved America’s first president, George Washington, sitting on a horse and holding an American flag. For the convivence of its members the guild meets at three different locations during the week. They meet on Monday through Thursday from 9 a.m. to 12 p.m. at Brookhaven Town’s New Village Recreation Center, located at 20 Wireless Road in Centereach. On Tuesday and Wednesday from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m., the guild meets at the Town’s Henrietta Acampora Cottage, located at 39 Montauk Highway in Blue Point. The guild’s largest meeting is on Friday from 9 a.m. to 12 p.m. at Brookhaven Town’s Rose Caracappa Senior Center, located at 739 Route 25A in Mount Sinai. The Friday meetings at the Senior Center are for senior citizens only. The meetings at New Village Recreation Center and the Henrietta Acampora Cottage are not age restricted. However, the members of the guild are primarily seniors because the meetings are held during the day, according to SCWG President Al Trepiccione. If you have an interest and think you would like to join the guild, tools are not necessary. Once you join, a member will help you acquire the right items. If you are interested in visiting with the guild to see what the meetings and the group are all about, stop by one of the meetings or call the President, Al Trepiccione at 631-780-2827 for more information. P A G E 8 Senior Citizen Clubs The Town of Brookhaven sponsors 25 Senior Citizen Clubs at various neighborhood locations town-wide. For further information about joining a Club, please call 631-451-9191.

 Albert Tinnie  Lake Grove  Southaven  Avery Village  Leisure Village  St. George Manor  Bretton Woods  Mark Tree  St. Joseph's Village  Center Moriches  Middle Island  Stony Brook  Centereach  Mt. Sinai  Three Village  Farmingville  Patchogue  Westfield  Forge River  Port Jefferson  Yaphank  Greenwood Village  Selden  Hagerman  Shoreham

The Yaphank Senior Club meets at the Yaphank Firehouse, located at 31 Main Street in Yaphank, on Tuesdays.

Grace Nordberg (right) was recently honored at the Rose Caracappa Senior Center in Mount Sinai for her seventeen years of volunteer support with the Town of Brookhaven’s Senior Citizen Division’s Senior Helpline. She was presented with a proclamation from Supervisor Ed Romaine and the entire Town Board. P A G E 9

Young at Heart By Frank Petrignani

The lyrics of the 1977 smash hit “Stayin’ Alive” filled the room and more than twenty Brookhaven seniors knew exactly what to do next. Within seconds they formed three lines and bodies were moving rhythmically through the air to the beat of the music. This is a typical scene at the line dancing class that takes place on Mondays from 10:30 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. at the Rose Caracappa Senior Center in Mount Sinai. There is no fee for the class and it is open to all Brookhaven seniors. Josie Romano has been teaching line dancing to Brookhaven seniors for about twenty years. She is ninety-three years old and says dancing and teaching the classes help her stay fit and young at heart. An eclectic mix of music plays during the classes, ranging from slow to fast-paced. Some of the styles Josie mentioned were the polka, waltz, me- rengue, peabody and cha-cha. “It’s good for your heart,” Josie said. “You are dancing, you are moving and it’s friendly. Music will give anyone a lift.” The classes are designed for all levels, with the goal of everyone participating at their own pace. Of course, anyone interested in participating in the line dancing class should consult with their doctor first. For those who have difficulty moving with ease or who have physical challenges, Josie said there are still ways for them to participate. They can sit in a chair and move their feet, hands and legs to the music. While an hour may be a long time to keep a body in motion, class participants can also take a seat to rest for as long as they want, and get back up whenever they want. Josie said her favorite part of instructing the classes is the social enjoyment everyone gets from it and how dancing makes people happy. “I love them and they love me,” she said. “I just love to dance and I love seeing their happy faces when they dance.” JULY - SEPTEMBER 2018 I S S U E P A G E 10

This past spring, the William Floyd High School Acabellas and Soundsations sang an eclectic mix of music to seniors enrolled in the Nutrition Program at the Mastic Recreation Center. It was the second time the all-girl Acabellas sang to the seniors and the first time for the all-boy Soundsations. For their performances at the Mastic Recreation Center and throughout Brookhaven Town, the choirs were presented with a proclamation from Supervisor Ed Romaine and the entire Town Board.

A young couple got married and left for their honeymoon. When they got back, the bride immediately called her mother. "Well, how was the honeymoon?" asked the mother. "Oh, mama," she replied, "the honeymoon was wonderful! So romantic..."

Suddenly she burst out crying. "But, mama, as soon as we returned, Sam started using the most horrible language. He's been saying things I've never heard before ! All these awful 4-letter words ! You've got to come get me and take me home... please mama !" "Sarah, Sarah," her mother said, "calm down ! Tell me, what could be so awful ? What 4-letter words has he been using ?"

"Please don't make me tell you, mama," wept the daughter, "I'm so embarrassed ! They're just too awful ! You've got to come get me and take me home... please mama !"

"Darling, baby, you must tell me what has you so up- set....Tell your mother these horrible 4-letter words !" Still sobbing, the bride replied, "Oh, mama...words like dust, wash, iron, and cook...." P A G E 11

Everyone enjoyed excellent food, fantastic music and exceptional company at the Town of Brookhaven Senior Citizen Division’s Annual May Rally. JULY - SEPTEMBER 2018 I S S U E P A G E 12

Edward P. Romaine, Upcoming Activities and Events Supervisor Upcoming Activities and Events

Valerie M. Cartright Activities at Rose Caracappa Senior Center District 1 739 Route 25A, Mt. Sinai (631) 476-6449 Jane Bonner District 2 July 10th at 10:00 am—Hula Hoop Classes

Kevin LaValle District 3 Aug. 8th at 10: 30 am—Hula Hoop Classes

Michael A. Loguercio District 4 Ongoing Activities: Neil Foley District 5 Every Thurs. through Sept. 20th at 10:00 am—Beginner iPhone/iPad Classes Daniel J. Panico District 6 nd Every 2 Wed. of Month—RSVP HIICAP Counselor Donna Lent Appointments only, call 631-476-6449 Town Clerk

nd Louis Marcoccia Every 2 Thurs. of Month at 10:00 am—Veterans Chat Group Receiver of Taxes

rd Daniel Losquadro Every 3 Wed. of Month at 1:30 pm—Bunco Superintendent of Highways Every 4th Thurs. of Month at 10:00 am—Current Events Discussion

Activities at Bay Area Nutrition Center 15 Herkimer Street, Mastic (631) 281-7679

July 10th from 9:30 am - 10:30 am—Librarian visit Dept. of Housing & Human Services July 11th from 10:30 am - 11:00 am—SC Office for the Aging Nutrition Education Senior Citizen Division Aug. 15th from 9:00 am - 12:00 pm—Senior Citizen Advocate Alison Karppi Commissioner July 18th from 9:00 am - 12:00 pm—Senior Citizen Advocate 1 Independence Hill Farmingville, NY Aug. 14th from 9:30 am - 10:30 am—Librarian visit (631) 451-9191

Sept. 11th from 9:30 am - 10:30 am—Librarian visit

Sept. 19th from 9:00 am - 12:00 pm—Senior Citizen Advocate

*All programs, dates & times are subject to Ongoing Activities: change* Every Thurs. from 9:30 am to 10 am—Education/Exercise with Nancy

Every Mon., Wed., & Fri. from 9:00 am to 4:00 pm—Mastic-Moriches-Shirley Library Technology Center