Bethpage-Tribune_1996-07-04

              ETHPAGF PUBLIC LIBRARY
YOUR OFFICIAL HOMETOWN NEWSPAPER
Serving Bethpage, Island Trees, Plainedge, Seaford, Old Bethpage & Plainview
VOL. 30 NO. 26 July 4-10,1996 40 CENTS
Lillian Antonucci Nominated
For "People Who Care" Salute
Lillian Antonucci's outstanding
work for people with disabilities has
earned her a spotlight on public tele­vision
in a "Salute to People Who
Care," a volunteer recognition pro­gram
sponsored by WYLIE Channel
21 and the Long Island Lighting
Company. The Public broadcasting
station aired the spotlight twice daily
during the last two weeks in June.
Antonucci, a Bethpage resident,
was nominated for the honor by Ger­ald
Rudnet, Executive Director of
United Cerebral Palsy Association of
Nassau County (UCP), as agency that
provides comprehensive services to
1*600 community members with
Cerebral Palsy and other disabilities.
Services include evaluation, physical,
speech • and occupational therapy,
outpatient services, and support
groups for families.
"Lillian"s positive influence
touches everyone at UCP Nassau,"
says Rudnet. "I measure her worth in
the millions. She does a million things
for us, is one in a million, and has a
million dollar smile for everyone."
The United Way of Long Island
referred Lillian to the UCP Center in
Roosevelt. When UCP accepted An­tonucci's
severely retarded toddler,
Katherine, into their program in 1969,
they received a committed volunteer
at the same time.
Some 27 years later, Lillian An­tonucci
can list scores of activities she
has either started or helped develop
for UCP, including founding the
Bethpage auxiliary, raising funds,
sewing caps and gowns for the spe­cial
graduates, and providing support
for Festival of Trees volunteers. She
has also served as president or chair
of the following groups: Council of
Auxiliaries, Developmental Parents
Group; District Council; Awards; Tele­thon
Hospitality Committee. Lillian
currently serves on the following
boards and committees: Board of Di­rectors,
Parent and Family Liaison
Committee, Legal and Government
Committee; and the UCP Bayview
Nursing Home.
"UCP has been a blessing," says
Antonucci. "Because they are spe­cialists,
they have provided my
daughter Katherine with therapy and
benefits that I would be unable to give
her. I know that through UCP I have
done the best for my daughter and
family. Agencies like UCP are a god­send
and I will continue to support
them as long as I am able."
The judges who participate in "A
Salute to People Who Care" include
Mr. James M. Smith, President and
(Continued on Pago 10)
Congressman Lobbies For
Volunteer Firefighter Stamp
Congressman Michael P.
Forbes (R-NY) is leading a cam­paign
to persuade the U.S. Postal
Service to issue a commemorative
postage stamp honoring America's
volunteer firefighters and he needs
our help.
In 1998, we as a Nation will
celebrate a monumental accom­plishment
in firefighting - the 350th
anniversary of organized volunteer
firefighting," Forbes stated.
"Volunteer firefighters are a brother­hood
of patriotic Americans, dedi­cated
to saving our communities
from the ravages of fire; putting the
health and welfare of our lives,
homes, schools and churches
ahead of their own personal safety.
The volunteer firefighter is charac­teristically
an American institution.
Today's volunteer firefighters share
in a long distinguished tradition. In
the past, the most prominent mem­bers
of the community volunteered
for firefighting duty, setting the ex­ample
for the rest of the citizens.
Many of our Founding Fathers,
such as George Washington, Paul
Revere and Thomas Jefferson,
Served as volunteer fireman."
Today there are over 800,000
volunteer firefighters organized in
rural, suburban and urban commu­nities
throughout the United States.
On average 87% of our Nation's fire
service is delivered by volunteers.
"The determination shown in beat­ing
back fires in our country's for­ests,
cities, coasts and plains is a
testament to the excellent training
and dedication for which our profes
sional volunteers firefighters organ­ized
in rural, suburban and urban
communities throughout the United
States. On average 87% of our Na­tion's
fire service is delivered by vol-
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When It Comes To Horses
Bethpage Juniors Are Winners
Stacy Abrams, a junior at Beth­page
High School and at BOCES
Nassau Tech, was a member of two
teams that took home first place tro­phies
from recent competitions held
regionally and state-wide by the Fu­ture
Farmers of America (FFA). Nicole
Mackay, a Bethpage junior, was also a
member of the regional award-winning
team. Both took part
through their participation in the Nas-
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