Bramson House offers Win-Win Deal for Freeport and
Rockville Centre
The Bramson House is new to Freeport with its
official ribbon-cutting ceremony recently taking
place at the company's 75,000 square-foot site
on Albany Avenue, but the business has been
around for more than 30 years. Jules and Betty
Mayor Bill Glacken (left) along with Freeport Chamber of Commerce President
John M. Nuzzi, Sr. (right) congratulate Jules Abramson (center)
on the opening of his new headquarters in Freeport.
Abramson started designing and sewing drapes
and bedspreads on two old sewing machines
they still proudly display in their spa'cious new
warehouse. The main floor showroom offers a
full line of the fabrics, designs, and window
treatments available to hotels, busi-nesses
and corporate customers
around the world. The Abramson's
credit their dedication to quality ser-vice
and customer satisfaction as the
reason for their multimillion-dollar
business success.
Mayor Glacken welcomed Bramson
House to Freeport, "This is a perfect
example of the type of business
Freeport wants and_needs here in our
industrial complex. This company
employs more than 125 people, and
expects to increase that number as its customer
base continues to grow now-that they have
. more room to expand their business services."
The Bramson warehouse had formerly been
located in Rockville Centre, but as their customer
base increased the Abramsons began looking for
larger space in an area that offered services sim-ilar
to those provided by the Village of Rockville
Centre. "We were fortunate to find the ideal
spot in Freeport," explained Jules Abramson.
"Freeport offered similar low-cost utilities, a
readily available labor market, and a municipali-ty
that wants to encourage new, expanding busi-nesses,"
he added. The Abramsons haven't com-pletely
left Rockville Centre though. The site of
their.former warehouse _pn_ Merrick Jtoad is_
scheduled to be developed into a Hilton Hotel,
and is expected to open in December, 2002.
American Legion Post 342 Sponsors Special Veterans Day Program
The Freeport Memorial Library again hosted
the American Legion's recent special
Veterans Day service. There was a very spe-cial
performance by the Freeport High
School Select Chorale, led by Director
Stephen Pagano. The students sang the
work of a local composer, Paul Joseph, enti-tled,
"The Land of the Human Dream." In
addition, the members of the Select Chorale
offered readings in keeping with the theme
of Veterans Day.
Freeport Mayor Bill Glacken suggested
to the many individuals who attended the
service how important it is to recognize the
sacrifices that were made by all our veter-ans,
to realize the sacrifices that the mem-bers
of the armed services are continuing to
make today as we cope with the unexpected
threat to our democratic form of govern-ment
on September 11, and to appreciate
the freedoms we celebrate as citizens of the
United States.
This year, the American Legion singled
out for special honors the Amphibious
Forces, which represent the coordinated
efforts of the United States Navy, the Army,
and the Air Force, to land American troops
on enemy shores. The program included a
presentation by the Coordinator of the
Long Island Region Amphibious Forces, Rod
Whalen.
On hand to celebrate Veterans Day with members of the American Legion Post 342
were Freeport Police Chief Michael Woodward, Trustee Bill White, Jr., Mayor Bill
Glacken, American Legion Post Commander Richard Cromwell, Hempstead Town
Councifwoman Angie Cullin, American Legion member Robert Pachas, Past
Commander Charles Jackson and Freeport Trustee Don Mauersberger.
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NOVEMBER, 2001 www.FreeportNY.com THE HOME OF CHAMPIONS
Construction Underway for New Visions School
New Building To Be Ready For Classes September 2002
It was a clear, bright morning that wel-comed
more than 100 people to the official
groundbreaking ceremony for the new
building that will house the New Visions
School on Raynor Street. Planning for the
construction project has taken many years,
and a great deal of effort on the part of the
Freeport School District's administrative
staff, along with the school board, the facul-ty
of the New Visions School, and the Parents
and Teachers Association. The students
attending New Visions School at its current
site were proud to see that the project of
creating a wonderful new facility for learn-ing
in Freeport had begun. They took part in
the celebration with readings and songs
written especially for the occasion.
"This is a great day for Freeport, and a
great day for our children," said Mayor
Glacken in addressing the group. "An
investment in our youth is an investment
in our future." The Mayor made a point of
noting that many hands contributed to the
success of this project: the parents, teachers,
faculty, school administrators and communi-ty
leaders. This project marks the first con-
Community leaders lined up with youngsters from the New Visions School for the official ground-breaking: Superintendent of Schools Dr. Eric L. Eversley, Board of
Education President John Muscara, Board of Education Trustees Ronald Ellerby and Mike Raab, Assistant Superintendent for Business Kishore Kuncham, Mayor
William Glacken, Town Councifwoman Angie Cullin, Senator Charles Fuschillo, Jr., Assemblywoman Kate Murray, Police Chief Michael Woodward,
Rre Department Executive Director Ray Maguire, PTA Council President Jacci Harris and New Visions Principal Katherine Hynes.
'ON 917 Youngsters from the New Visions School performed readings and songs written especially for the occasion.
They were led by music teacher Ruth Breidenbach and joined by Assistant Principal Susan De Lira.
Photos courtesy of Kathy Beatty of Syntax Communications
struction of a new
school in Freeport
in over 25 years.
School Superintendent
Dr. Eversley ex-plained
that the
education of our
young people is the
most important pri-ority
of a community,
adding, "Instruction
in youth is like
engraving in stone:
it will last a life-time."
The new school,
officially titled, New
Visions, the School of
Exploration and Discovery, A Museum
School, is one of four elementary schools in
Freeport. It will provide increased capacity
for up to 500 youngsters. With approximate-ly
6,900 square feet of space, it will include
all of the programs available in the current
school building, and provide expanded room
for additional computers, a larger cafeteria,
special art and music facilities, a more spa-cious
gymnasium and an extensive outdoor
playground. Construction is expected to be
completed by next summer with the official
opening set for September, 2002. "I post-poned
retiring for the past two years,"
explained New Visions Principal Katherine
Hines, °so that I would be here to see the
new New Visions School open its doors next
September."
Dear Neighbor;
_November-began-in-Freeport- with the
celebration of National Family Literacy
Month, an educational program that
emphasizes the importance of families read-ing
together. I had the opportunity through-out
the month to be invited to read at all
four elementary schools and at the special
Even Start Family Literacy Program at the
Columbus Ave. School.
As I heard at the Columbus Ave. Family
Literary Program, and observed myself while
in the Freeport elementary schools I visited
this month, reading is an active experience
between your youngsters and you. You do
not need special equipment, high-tech
teaching tools, or advanced degrees to be
able to spend time telling your children a
story they are interested in, or even a story
that was a favorite of yours when you were
a child. As your children progress, they may
delight in reading their favorite stories to
you.
I'm sure we have all heard the thoughts
of individuals who believe that television,
computers, and electronic games, will soon
lead to the end of children actually picking
up a book and reading or parents reading to
their youngsters. Those thoughts remind me
so much--of-what people-often said when
television was first invented and people
believed it signaled the end of people listen-ing
to radio. Obviously, we still listen to the
radio as much as ever, more often now in our
cars, but certainly radio is thriving, just as
reading will continue to thrive even in the
age of electronic gadgets such as Game Boy,
Palm Pilots, and Nintendo.
All education, whether in the fields of
math, science, languages, art, music, history,
or philosophy, requires the ability to read
and learn. Even to be successful in sports, we
must first know and understand the rules of
the game before we can hope to be winners.
To read is to open the door to knowledge.
The special projects sponsored by the
Columbus Ave. School, the Freeport Family
Literacies Program, the Even Start Family
Literacy project, and the Parent-Child Home
Program, are all available to provide support
and assistance to individuals who may not be
fluent in English or may need some guidance
in helping their children to learn to read.
The programs are free, and are available to
every Freeport family. To contact the Family
Literacies Program, call 516-867-8999 and
ask for extension 4714.
As we begin this holiday season, now is
a good time to keep in mind the proverb,
"Reading is the key, to where you want to
be" and spend these special days reading
together with our families.
Mayor Glacken Visits Freeport Classrooms
to Encourage Reading Programs
Mayor Glacken reading to the parents and children attending the Freeport Family Literacies
Program at Columbus Ave. School.
"Having the opportunity to read to chil-dren
is really one of my favorite duties,"
explained Mayor Bill Glacken as he read a
story to the youngsters at the Columbus Ave.
Family Literacies Program. The book the
Mayor read, "We Are All Alike, We Are All
Different" had both the chil-dren
and their parents
enthrajled with the many
similarities among people
and their families all over
the world.
The Mayor also read to
youngsters at sev-eral
other schools
in the village
r e c e n t l y ,
including Mrs.
Janet De Flora's
and Mr. John
Wood wa rd ' s
classes at the New Visions School,
Mrs. Barbara Dickstein's class at
the Archer Street School, Ms.
Althea Tabon's class at the Leo F.
School,
Dickash's class at Bayview Ave. School. In
addition, Mayor Glacken was invited to
Career Day _at Bayyiew Ave., where, .he
described to the children what it is like to be
the Mayor of the Village of Freeport and
how much he enjoys the job.
Deputy Mayor Frierson Honored By Amistad
Suffolk County Black Bar Association
Freeport Deputy Mayor Renaire Frierson
was among the eleven African-Americans
honored by the Amistad Suffolk County
Black Bar Association on November 2nd. In
announcing the winners of the awards, the
association's President, Derrick J. Robinson,
explained that the group's mission is to
increase the number of lawyers of color by
reaching out to students at an early age for
several reasons including: to inspire their
interest in the law as a profession, to provide
a means of delivering a fair system of justice,
and as a method of economic empower-ment.
Mr. Robinson added that Ms. Frierson,
as well as the other honorees, are true role
models of that goal.
As well as serving as Trustee and the
appointed Deputy Mayor of the Village of
Freeport, Ms. Frierson is the Executive
Director of the Nassau County Commission
on Human Rights. Ms. Frierson was raised in
Freeport, attended Freeport schools and
earned a B.B.A. in International Business
with a minor in Spanish from Hofstra
University. She went on
to earn a J.D. degree
from the Boston
University School of
Law, where she was the
recipient of the
Barbara Jordan
Scholarship.
Ms. Frierson served
as an Assistant District
Attorney in Manhattan
under the leadership of
District Attorney
Robert Morganthau
between 1985 and
1989. She was the first
full-time, female,
A f r i c a n - A m e r i c a n
Deputy Village Attorney in Freeport, where
she served as the assistant to then Village
Attorney Bill Glacken.
Ms. Frierson was personally congratulat-ed
on her achievements by New York State
Comptroller Carl McCall, the keynote speak-
Mayor Bill Glacken and NY State Comptroller Carl McCall congratulate Deputy Mayor Renaire Frierson on
being honored by the Bar Association.
er for the event. Ms. Frierson was grateful to
the Bar Association for the award and said
she was honored to be recognized along
with so many people who had worked so
hard to ensure that all individuals receive
equal justice.
Freeport Recreation Center and PBA
Host Grand Halloween Party for local Youngsters
Giblyn Mrs. Michele Mayor Glacken surrounded by youngsters from the New Visions School's Multiage Activities group. The winners of the best costumes contest posed along with good witch Melonie Smith.
Some children came
dressed as monsters,
princesses, gladiators, super
heroes or spacemen, while
others were dressed as ani-mals,
including kittens, cats,
lions, dogs and a tiny
Dalmatian. Some of the
more unusual disguises won
the best costume awards.
The Halloween Party
was sponsored by the
Freeport Police Benevolent
Association and held at the
Freeport Recreation Center.
Special entertainment for
the party was provided by
the Brionn Dance and
Entertainment Group, Inc.,
with Melanie Smith serving
as the good witch who dis-pensed
surprises and prizes
to all the youngsters.
The Halloween event is
offered every year to pro-vide
youngsters with an
opportunity to dress up in
costumes and enjoy a safe
alternative to going trick or
treating. This year's event
was a rousing success, with
more than 100 youngsters
enjoying the parade, the
special entertainment, and
receiving a special bag of
goodies at the end of the
event.
