Freeporters Back Scattered
Site Housing Plan An overwhelming number of people responding to our
question on Freeport's new program of affordable
housing endorsed Mayor Arthur Thompson's plan for
new homes to be built on ten widely separatecPsites.
Eighty percent of the respondents thought "affordable hous-ing
for Freeport is good especially if it is on scattered sties and
improves surrounding property values." Other responses were
equally split. Ten percent thought that "affordable housing should
be put in one location" and an equal number thought "the Vil-lage
shouldn't bother improving blighted areas with affordable
housing."
Two people included notes requesting that Freeport's first
priority be to improve existing blighted areas. One homeowner
wrote, "I feel that the rehabilitation of foreclosures and aban-doned
homes would be better for the village as a whole."
In response, Mayor Thompson noted that the goal of the
scattered site program is to put new homes at sites where the
condition of the existing housing is such that it had to be demol-ished
before new structures could be built. "The Village," he
added, "will continue to do all within its power to improve all
blighted areas in Freeport."
Improving Public Safety
Three members of the Freeport Police Department and five others
from Nassau County and the Village of Hempstead have
successfully completed a motorcycle training course offered by
the NCPD. The Freeport officers closed to the camera are (from
I.) Thomas Drew, Michael Capriola and Patrick Bentivegna.
These five graduates of the Nassau County Police Academy will
soon be added to the ranks the Freeport Police Department. They
are (from 1.) Anthony DiPerna, Alan Kessler, Steven Rampanelli,
CarlHetzel, and Daniel Carney. The men completed an intensive
six month training program.
NATIONAL BOOK WEEK: Freeport Mayor Arthur Thompson
celebrated bok week with Mrs. De Flora's third grade.class at
Giblyn School by reading stories to the children.
First Night Button Sales
Continued from page 2.
back to the community groups selling buttons. These are:
Boys and Girl Scouts, Century 2, Freeport Chamber of Com-merce,
Freeport Recreation Center Swim Club, Little League,
LI Arts Council at Freeport, Nassau Dance Center, Northwest
Civic Association, Operation Pride, Our Holy Redeemer
School, PTA, and the Salvation Army. If you belong to or
would like to support any of these organizations, please pur-chase
your buttons form them.
|" What Do You fii ink? ~"
| The Village wants your opinion. Please fill out this
| questionaire, and return it with your electric payment. la
!a
ja
ia
I like First Night just the way it is. Keep it
up every year.
Add some more events. This is what I'd like
to see: :
There are too many First Night Events.
Please scale back next year.
First Night ends too soon. Can you keep it
going until 1 or 2 a.m.
Vol. 1 No. 5
December 1994
Freeporters to Cel "New Year's With Gala Event
"So much will
be going on it
will be hard
to experience
everything."
For the second year, Freeport will celebrate First
Night on New Year's Eve, Saturday, Decem-ber
31 from 2 p.m. to midnight. Last year, some 4,000
residents and visitors enjoyed the event, which offers a fam-ily-
oriented, nonalcoholic and safe fun celebration.
First Night originated in Boston 19 years ago as a cel-ebration
of the diversity of culture through the arts. It is now
- sponsored by some 120 communities
throughout the nation. Freeport's is the
only one on Long Island. The idea was
proposed for the Village by Mayor
Arthur Thompson who became ac-quainted
with First Night while in Bos-ton.
,
"It was a perfect fit for Freeport, a
community rich in ethnicity and cul-ture,"
Mayor Thompson said. "Judg-ing
from the diligence of all who have planned the celebra-tion,
I am sure First Night Freeport 1995 will be even more
successful than last year. So much will be going on that it
will be hard to experience everything."
Low-Cost New Year's Celebration
The all-inclusive cost to participate in First Night Free-port
is $7 per person. Children ages two and under are free.
The fee covers the 95 performances, displays and activities,
dancing and fireworks, and also includes the looping buses
traveling between the eight performance sites — Freeport High
School, Bay view Avenue School, Our Holy Redeemer School,
Village Hall, Atkinson School, Unitarian South Nassau
Church, Freeport Memorial Library, and the Freeport
Recreation Center. Upon payment, each person
will receive a lapel button, which differs from
last year's color. It must be worn for admis-sion
and shuttle buses. (See "button sales"
on page 2)
Free Night-Time Baby-sitting
So that parents may enjoy night ac-tivities,
an added feature this year is a free
baby-sitting service for children five and
older at the Recreation Center from 9 to
10:30 p.m. While the children stretch out
on mats, enjoy hot chocolate, and watch
videos from the Freeport Library, parents
can stay at the Center to taste the ethnic food
in the Food Court, dance to the Arthur Miller
Swing Ensemble in the lobby, and dig the Ray
Alexander Jazz Quartet in the Expression Cafe.
Another option is to leave the children at the Center
and travel to the High School to see the Yori dancers from 9
to 10 p.m. and Steve Love's New York Express roller-skating
dancers from 10 to 11 p.m. Parents can then pick up their
FESTIVAL OF THE ABTS
Sue Young Lee Segredo will be the hostess of the "Good Luck
Club " at the Recreation Center on New Year's Eve. Visitors will
see the Korean Fan and Mask Dance, the Tea Ceremony, a
Chinese shrine of the ancestors, and learn about the Asian signs
children in time to go to the Town of Hempstead Marina, at
the foot of Guy Lombardo Avenue, to watch the fire-works
display and welcome in the New Year.
A Hands-On Festival
First Night Freeport is also a hands-on festi-val.
All are invited to the "Assemblage, from
Trash to Treasure," in the Recreation Cen-ter
lobby from 3 to 7 p.m. "Artists" are
encouraged to use unrelated found objects
together in a sort of sculptural collage.
There's also a Weaving Project. In a
room hung with examples of weaving from
around the world, children and their par-ents
will create a giant tapestry on a large
standing loom with string, ribbon, fabric,
lace, trims and yarns. The finished creation,
a metaphor for the colorful tapestry that is Free-port,
will be displayed throughout the Village dur-ing
the coming year.
Please consult the First Night Freeport At A Glance chart
on page 3 for a complete list of artists and activities.
First Night Freeport has something for everyone in the
family.
Donations Help Make
Events Happen
First Night Freeport relies on the financial generosity.
of area businesses and individuals. As of early De
cember, the following have made donations towards
this year's festival; Allyn Oil, Atlantic Nursery, Bank of New
York, Budget Muffler, Compare Foods, Endo Electric,
Greenfield Industries, National Westminster Bank, Heidi
Kufal Philip, Quinn's Freeport Auto, Regional Typographers,
Ira Sumkin, Cove Four-Slide and Stamping Corp., FDR Ser-vices
Corp., Akel Delicatssen, Grassland Savings, Mr. Beauty
Equipment Ltd., Jeff-Co Ass'c Co., North Shore Salvage,
Zauner Bros. Inc., Dunkin Donuts, Phyllis and Maynard
Pullman, Peter Scalamandre and Sons, Rocky's Central Ser-vice,
Rona and Mary Epstein, Rima and Les Ogrin, Dr. and
Mrs. Rudolph Joseph, Mr. and Mrs. Al Dorfman, Woodbury
Country Club, Five Counties Carting Co., Henkind-Engel
Meadowbrook Group, Suzanne and Michael Byrne, Mary
Westring and Citibank.
Additional donations would be welcomed under the Fed-eral
Tax Charity Law (501 c3). Please contact the First Night
Freeport office at the Recreation Center, 223-8856.
Button Sale Locations
First Night Freeport remains the best value for your
money among all New Year's Eve activities. A pur
chase of a $7 lapel First Night button is all one needs
to attend any and all of more than 90 performances, displays,
hands-on activities. The same button also gives access to
transportation aboard the looping buses traveling between
the eight sites hosting the various performances and activi-ties.
Children two-years-old and younger are free. The pur-chase
of multi-ethnic foods, of course, is extra. Food will be
served at prices of $5 and less at the Recreation Center's
International Food Court from 3 to 10 p.m.
Buttons may be purchased at the following locations:
Foodtown (Freeport, East Meadow, Inwood, Massapequa
Park, Oceanside and Plainedge branches); National
Westminster Bank (Freeport, Baldwin, Lynbrook, Merrick,
Rockville Centre and Wantagh branches); Atlantic Nursery,
Compare Foods, Freeport Memorial Library, Freeport Rec-reation
Center, Freeport Village Hall, Libby Travel and Sea
Horse Gift Shop.
First Night Freeport, as a public service, has offered $1
Continued on backpage.
FREEPORT'S CROWN JEWELS SHINE FOR FIRST NIGHT: Thanking the Ruby Sponsors of the Crown jewels of the First Night
Freeport Contributors, First Night Chairman Mayor Arthur Thompson is joined by supervisors at the Bank of New York and partners of
Henkind-Engel Meadowbrook Group. (Inset) Michael Weiss and Sydney Engelfrom Henkind-Engel Meadwobrook group. The Bank of
New York team shows its support of First Night '95 and presents a contribution. Standing from left is Bank Manager Patricia Bianco, Mayor
Thompson, Executive Director Mary Westring, Bank Manager Carolyn Burkle and Vice President/District Manager Warren Brinker.
2
FIRST NIGHT FREEPORT AT A GLANCE New Years Eve
VENUE
FHEEPORT HIGH SCHOOL
AUDITORIUM
FREEPORT HIGH SCHOOL
LARGE GYM
FREEPORT HIGH SCHOOL
SMALL GYM
FREEPORT HIGH SCHOOL
CAFETERIA
BAYVIEW AVENUE
SCHOOL AUDITORIUM
BAYVIEW AVENUE
SCHOOL CAFETERIA
OUR HOLY REDEEMER
SCHOOL
VILLAGE HALL MAIN
CONFERENCE ROOM
VILLAGE HALL
BOARD ROOM
ATKINSON SCHOOL
UNITARIAN S. NASSAU
CHURCH FOYER
UNITARIAN S. NASSAU
CHURCH SANCTUARY
FREEPORT MEMORIAL
LIBRARY LOBBY
LIBRARY
CHILDREN'S ROOM
LIBRARY ROOM 1
LIBRARY ROOM 3
LIBRARY ROOM 4
REC CENTER LOBBY
REC CENTER GYM
REC CENTER
EXPRESSION CAFE
REC CENTER
YOUTH LOUNGE
REC CENTER
ART ROOM
REC CENTER
PRE "K" ROOM
REC CENTER
SR. LOUNGE
REC CENTER PIT
REC CENTER
SWIMMING POOL
REC CENTER
ICE RINK
2:00
NASSAU DANCE
THEATER
3:00
GREEK TRAD.
DANCE
WACKY WENDY'S WACKY HATS
RACHAEL KATZ - ORIGAMI
JOHNNY BRONAT
GETCH1E
ARGETS1NGER
KAREN
DE MAURO
SUSAN & STEPHAN
SANFEtlPPO
TIERHA - LATIN
^OLKLORIC DANCERS
4:00 5:00
FHEEPOHT TEEN TALENT SHOW
PETER SOKOLOW
KLEZMER TRIO
FREEPORT H.S.
JAZZ ENSEMBLE
PETER SOKOLOW
KLEZMER TRIO
CAROL MONYAK FOLK DANCING
MEASURE FOR *
MEASURE
RENATE BELLY
DANCE TROUPE
DANCE
VISIONS
MANIC MAGIC
BY ZIPPY
THE
RYAN TRIO
TOMAS
RODRIGUEZ
MUSICA
DOLCE
YORI
DANCERS
ART SHOW- ARMANDO A. GARCIA RECENT WORKS
RUSSIAN COACHES 8Y OSCAR LEVITT
EAST BAY
CHAMBER PLAYERS
HENRY
LOWINGER
EDBOWE NY MADRIGAL
SINGERS
LONG ISLAND HARMONICA CLUB (3:00)
•PYSANKY-, UKRANIAN EGGS
LYLE
COGEN
TERESA
DYBVIG
MELISSA
FQGARTY
' BOB
CAMMANN
TUMBLE BUG STRING BAND
FACE PAINTING. MARIA - AURORA. CLOWN
SHEER WONDER HAIR BEADER
THE CULTURE
AND THE WORD
JANICE
BUCKNER
THE MASK
SOLO PIANO SUITE
SUSAN A STEPHAN
SANFILIPPO
LEONARD LEHRMAN
a HELENE WILLIAMS
TRANSFORMATIONS •
HEADS AND TALES
6:00
AKYENE
BAAKO
GAS HOUSE
GANG
DAVID
SMITH
DENNIS
CLEASBY
COMEDY
CLUB
LORENA
DOHEHTY
LUCILLE
VILLA
WE DARE YOU
7:00
NATIONAL
CIRCUS PROJECT
8:00
BETHEL AWE
CHOIR
9:00
YORt
DANCERS
SAVANNAH SKY
STEVE
UEBERMAN
OJ
THE KING OF
THE MASK
FUMBLE BUG STRING
BAND/BLUE
SPRUCE CLOGGERS
RAIZ
ANDINA
KEVIN
MAYNOn
NY MADRIGAL
SINGERS
THE KING OF
THE MASK
DAVE
GOLDMAN
10:00
STEVE LOVES
NY EXPRESS
KARAOKE WITH JOEY D'S ENTERTAINMENT
FREESTYLE
HEP
OSCAR
BRAND
ADLIB STEEL ORCHESTRA
FREESTYLE
REP
RAIZ
ANDINA
"
11:00
ARTHUR MILLER SWING ENSEMBLE
FOOD COURT FOOD COURT FOOD COURT
3RADLEV SZOLLOSE RAINMAKER AND TOM BERSCH JONATHON EQER FOOD COURT FOOD COURT
CARICATURIST CANDICE STROLLING MUSICIAN CARD TRICKS
DONNA
MARCANTONIO OPEN MJC
DAVID BERSCH
PERCUSS
PLACE
HAY PA 1 bHUUN
OPEN MIC
DAVID BERSCH
ON
SUSAN ASTOR
OPEN MIC
DEE HARRIS
PERCUSSION
PLACE
THE
WEAVING PROJECT
BEAUTIFUL BUGS
THE ASIAN 'GOOD LUCK' CLUB
•ASSEMBLAGE' FROM TRASH TO TREASURE
THE MAZE
GARNI THE CLOWN
ICE SKATE SHOW
CLIFF BLEIDNER
OPEN MIC
DEE
HARRIS
RAY ALEXANDER QUARTET
PERCUSSION
PLACE
BABYSITTING ROOM
THE MAZE ' THE MAZE THE MAZE
SCOTT RELLA ICE SCULPTOR 1
JUMPY THE ICE SKATING CLOWN |
12:00
T| 71
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Also: Zippy the Clown and Serious Fun. Jeff Miller's magic, and Theatrics by Phil appearing all around the village. . . and on the bus. Program subject to change.
Volunteers Make First Night Freeport Festival Work
Last year's First night Freeport was put together in five
months under the direction of Mary Westring and
Jillian Kaplan working with scores of volunteers. As
others across the~country can-attest, a full-year effort is required -
to handle the many details required for a successful First Night.
To that end, Westring was appointed Executive Director earlier
this year and is the only paid staff person.
The Board of Directors is made up of Village Deputy Attor-ney
Renaire Frierson-Davis, Recreation and Parks Department
General Manager John Jeffries, Jillian Kaplan and former Free-port
Fire Chief Donald Mauersberger. Mayor Arthur Thomp-son
is Honorary Chairman. Serving as liaisons to the LI Arts
Council at Freeport are Kathy Boulukos and Bernie Rader.
Committee Chairs are Marc Josloff (program/graphics),
Barbara Levine (school liaison), Nancy Cheewing (volunteers),
Bernie Rader (button sales), Phyllis Pullman (food court), Ri-chard
Johnson (Expression Cafe), Ida Echevarria (Hispanic li-aison),
Roberta Rizzo (talent), Jillian Kaplan (fundraising), Ron
Ellcrbe (safety), and Jean Peters (public relations).
Handling special projects is Joyce-Lorraine Lisi, Ellen
Kopit, Hope Carell, Marie Martin, Steve Hoffman, Brenda
Triplctt, Mary Impellizeri, and Paul Kaplan who also special-izes
in computer graphic work.
The offical program will list hundreds of others who have
given freely of their time and talents to make First Night Free-
-port 1995 an enjoyable and safe event and a roaring success.
FIRST NIGHT ENTERTAINERS: Rauz Andina is a quartet
whose songs reflect the rich folklore of Peru, Bolivia and Ecuador.
