Annual Dollars For Scholars
Hockey Event Set for President's
Weekend in Freeport
The ice hockey program to benefit
Freeport high school students will take
place from February 18th through the 21st,
2005 at the ice rink at the village's
Recreation Center. The hockey games will
begin on Friday at 4 p.m. and run through
8 p.m. Monday.
The funds raised by the Dollars for
Scholars organization cover a portion of
the. cost of higher education for students
with excellent grades and strong recom-mendations
from their teachers. Recipients
have earned degrees from top universities,
colleges and vocational institutions,
including Harvard, Yale, Johns Hopkins,
Penn State, Hofstra, Potsdam, Queens
College, the Eastman School of Music, and
the Culinary Institute of America.
A New Year, A New You
Yoga, ice-skating, aerobics,
weight lifting, basketball and so
much more. These are just some
of the sports and exercise options
available to people who hope to
keep those New Year's resolutions
to lose weight and get in shape.
Freeport's Recreation Center
has everything you need, includ-ing
a regulation-size swimming
pool with hours beginning at 6:15
a.m. during the week and 10 a.m.
on weekends. There are classes
available for the novices in these
sports and special admission fees
for seniors. The Recreation Center
charges a reduced rate for resi-dents
and a slightly higher admis-sion
fee for non-residents.
.For. a special treat after
your workout, there is a
massage therapist available to
ease aches and pains. For informa-tion
on membership plans, con-tact
the center at 377-2314 exten-sion
10.
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JANUARY, 2005 www.FreeportNY.com THE HOME OF CHAMPIONS
We Honor MLK, Jr. by Celebrating Diversity
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It was a marathon
weekend of events to
honor Dr. Martin Luther
King, Jr., and his philosophy
of non-violent civil disobe-dience
in pursuit of equali-ty
for all people, regardless
of race, creed, color,
national origin, sex, age,
disability, religious beliefs
or political persuasion.
The first event, an
awards breakfast spon-sored
by Operation Get
Ahead, Inc., was held
Saturday, January 15th, in
Westbury. OGA is a non-profit
organization dedi-cated
to encouraging and
supporting high school stu-dents
in academic, artistic and athletic
endeavors. The agency recognized the out-standing
efforts of leaders of the business,
government and educational communities.
Among the honorees was Freeport
Deputy Mayor Renaire Frierson, who
received the Community Service/Social
Justice award in recognition of her achieve-ments
in government and her determination
to provide justice and equal rights to all peo-ple.
Ms. Frierson serves the community as a
village trustee, the county as the Executive
Director of the Nassau County Human Rights
Commission and her church as an officer in
the Youth Department and as a member of
the Women's Committee.
On Sunday, January 16, the Freeport
Commission on Human Relations hosted a
special presentation of music, recitations,
and reflections in celebration of the work of
Dr. King at the Freeport Memorial Library.
Ms. Frierson was among the many speakers
who reminded the audience of Dr. King's
courage and dedication in leading the non-violent
struggle for civil rights for all
Americans. The afternoon's events included
ie, and Freeport Deputy Mayor and Executive Director of the Nassau County Commission on Human Rights,
Renaire Frierson, accepts congratulations from Hempstead Mayor James Corner, along with Freeport Mayor Bill Glacken
and Freeport Trustee Don Miller.
performances by children from the New
Visions School, violinist Tara Ring, and the
Chancel Choir of the Freeport United
Methodist Church accompanied by Camilla
Weir.
The special celebration weekend culmi-nated
in the 20th Annual Dr. Martin
Luther King, Jr. Birthday
Scholarship and Awards
Luncheon at the Marriott
Hotel in Uniondale,
attended by people from
all walks of life. Ms.
Frierson is the chairperson
of the committee responsi-ble
for organizing the
event. In welcoming the
guests, she quoted from
the many works of Dr. King
indicating that there is
still much work to be
done if we are to someday
see his dream become
a reality. She also pointed
out that Dr. King be-lieved
that no individual
or nation can boast of
being independent, and that we are all
interdependent.
The three individuals who received the
Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., Birthday
Celebration Award were Dr. Parveen Chopra,
Mohinder Singh Taneja, and Nassau County
Police Commissioner James H. Lawrence.
New York State Assemblywoman Earlene Hooper, Freeport Trustee Don Miller, job Hempstead Town Counritwoman Angie Qiffin in
presenting a citation to Ralph Smith, the Chairman of the Freeport Commission on Human Relations, along with Hempsteod Town Coundwoman Dorothy Goosby
and Freeport Deputy Mayor and Nassau County Human Rights Commission Executive Director Renaire Frierson.
A MESSAGE FROM THE MAYOR Patrick Lewis Earns Eagle Scout Honor
Freeport is good for business, and busi-ness
is good for Freeport. In the past eight
years new businesses have joined the well-established
enterprises that are here due to
the village's well-earned reputation for
being a good place to do business.
For over a century, Freeport has provided
safe, reliable, low-cost electricity to resi-dents,
merchants, businesses and restau-rants.
The installation last year of a new 47-
megawatt gas turbine generator at Power
Plant 2, which is owned and operated by the
Village, ensures that this tradition will con-tinue
for many decades to come. In addition,
the village's water utility, which recently
added three new wells, provides a plentiful
supply of pure, safe water to residential as
well as commercial establishments at a rea-sonable,
cost, substantially below that of
neighboring water companies.
The village's reputation as a good loca-tion
for commercial enterprise has led to a
fresh wave of new shops and stores, as well
as encouraged local merchants to expand
and invest in existing businesses. A cluster of
new commercial operations has opened on
Merrick Road just east of Henry St. The pop-reopened
as Nelson's. A popular place for
lunch, dinner and Sunday brunch, with regu-larly
scheduled live jazz nights as well, the
restaurant offers many Caribbean favorites,
as well as tantalizing chicken, ribs and steak
dishes. Nelson's was assisted by the Village
Community Development Agency's facade
rehabilitation program, which has complet-ed
work on more than twenty existing
downtown storefronts, with two more trans-formations
underway now on South Main
Street.
Other businesses which have invested in
improvements or expansion include Imperial
Diner, Mica By Design, Akel's Deli, and Conte
Cadillac. The Chocolate Inn, a manufacturer
of premium candy for corporate gift-giving,
chose to locate in Freeport's Industrial Park
this year with just these advantages in mind.
Nelson's on Merrick Rood
ular sandwich shop, Quiznos Sub, a Sprint
office, a UPS store, and a boating supply
outfit, West Marine, are now open near the
busy Walgreen's Drug Store.
Located west of Main St. on Merrick
Road, between Guy Lombardo Ave. and
Ocean Ave., the Caribbean restaurant, Chez
Vous, has been renovated, upgraded and
West Marine on Merrick Road
Change is ongoing on the Nautical Mile since
the village raised the roadway, which helped
eliminate persistent flooding and enabled
the shop owners, fish merchants and restau-ranteurs
along Woodcleft Ave. to remain
open all year long. Even in winter it is com-mon
to see people walking along the brick-paved
Promenade, stopping at the
Esplanade, and frequenting the many dining
establishments along the Nautical Mile
throughout December, January and
February, months that previously had been
lost to them.
E.B. Elliot's, which opened in January
2004 on the site of the old Poop Deck, is a
new favorite with locals and visitors for its
innovative menu and great water views. Just
recently the Nautical Mile welcomed a shop
that had been sorely missed by residents and
workers in the area. Villa Mia has made
pizza, by the slice or by the pie, readily avail-able
alongside the more traditional fish
houses on Woodcleft Ave.
.Several other shops and stores have been
going strong since opening on the street
nv; Ml'- i M n
xtw BOUTIQUE ; AIIAB'S i"-';;
Crows Nest Cove Mini Golf
shortly after the major improvements on the
Nautical Mile were made. The list of success-ful
businesses includes Pip's Ice Cream
Parlour, J.C. Cove restaurant. Cafe by the
Sea, and the charming group of novelty
stores, along with a mini-golf course, which
together are known as the Shops at Crows
Nest Cove.
With the official opening this Spring of
the Main Street Mews three-story complex,
with its ground floor space specifically
designed for commercial use as a book
store/restaurant and its two upper floors cus-tom
built to accommodate artists' live/work
space, we look forward to more new busi-nesses,
professional offices and entrepre-neurial
development locating in this innova-tive
environment between Sunrise Highway
and Merrick Road.
Creating new development and reinvest-ment
adds to the village's tax base, while
revitalizing the community. The infusion of
E. B. Elliot's at the top of the Nautical Mile
money benefits everyone, adding new jobs,
encouraging homeownership, and breathing
new life into our community, our civic orga-nizations
and our schools.
Freeport offers many incentives to new
businesses and they, in turn, bring added
dollars and cents to the village.
Troop 225 held an Eagle Scout -
Court of Honor to award Patrick
Francis Lewis his badge Saturday,
January 8th, at the Freeport
Recreation Center. "Patrick repre-sents
everything that we hope to
see in our young people," said
Mayor Bill Glacken in presenting a
Village of Freeport Proclamation to
Patrick. He attained Eagle Scout sta-tus
with a history of accomplish-ments
that culminated with a spe-cial
environmental conservation
project which brought together
Boy Scout volunteers; the local envi-ronmental
organization, SPLASH;
Freeport businesses; and-town gov- -
ernment in an effort to beautify the local
waterways. "We are proud to call Patrick
Lewis a Freeporter who has demonstrated his
deep commitment and dedication to his com-munity,"
added the mayor.
houses on the small islands. The
specially designed structures
attract the bats, which feed
on the mosquito population,
thereby eliminating a dangerous
health hazard. SPLASH (Stop
Polluting Littering and Save
Harbors) participated with the
donation of equipment and cap-tains'
time in navigating the collec-tion
boat, the Town of Hempstead
provided a garbage barge to haul
away several tons of junk, while
village businesses donated food
Pictured presenting Patrick Lewis with a Village proclamation is Mayor Bill Glacken, standing alongside Patrick's mother, for ^ne volunteers and qarbaqe
bags to collect the debris. Pat Lewis, his sister Amanda and his father, George Lewis.
Patrick organized the cleanup of the
marshlands outside of Woodcleft Canal, the
small islands and waterways off Waterfront
Park in Freeport, as well as the beach area of
the park itself. In keeping with his conserva-tion
theme, he helped build and erect bat
In accepting his Eagle
Scout badge, Patrick thanked his parents,
family members and all his friends in the
scouting organization and other groups for
their support and guidance along the trail to
attaining the honor.
Holiday Gifts For Freeport
Children
Youngsters from Freeport were included in a special Holiday Party held on the
Saturday before Christmas and sponsored by the Employees and Managers of Dan's
Key Food stores. One of the organizers of the party, Angel Rios, chief of security for
the food stores, invited Freeport's Adopt-A-Cop volunteers to take part in the
event. The youngsters received their choice of a toy, and were treated to fun foods
and live music, along with face-painting for the younger children.
Angel Rios, Police Chief Michael Woodward, one of the many Freeport families, and Hempstead Town Clerk Mark Bonilla
Freeport Enjoyed a Jolly Holiday Season
This year the Freeport
Chamber of Commerce sponsored a
special Holiday Parade along the
Nautical Mile on Friday evening,
December 3rd, with Santa Claus rid-ing
a boat pulled along Woodcleft
Ave. Chamber President Jane Dugan
arranged the parade and a holiday
decorating contest for the local mer-chants
to remind everyone that the
Nautical Mile is "open for business"
during the winter months.
Among the organizations and
businesses that contributed were vol-unteers
from the Freeport office of
the Salvation Army and B.J.'s
Wholesale Warehouse. The volun-teers
served hot chocolate donated by
B.J.'s, while a dozen of Santa's elves
Santa stopped to enjoy some hot chocolate with a group of holiday revelers at the Salvation Army von
at the Scenic Pier on the Nautical Mile following the Parade. With Santa is John Nuzzi, Sr., Chamber
Director and President of the Advisory Council for the Salvation Army, Mayor Bill Glacken, Chamber
President Jane Dugan, Trustees Don Mauersberger and Bill White, Jr., Executive Director of the
Freeport Fire Department, Ray Mcguire, Isobelle Drach and Ed Martin.
gave out candy canes to all the
children. More than a thousand people
took part in the Santa Parade, and
many dined at the local restaurants
which were offering a special "kids eat
free" promotion that night.
Freeport Mayor Bill Glacken and
Trustee Don Miller officiated at the
official Holiday Lighting ceremony at
the Cannon Triangle on Saturday
evening, December 4th. The ceremony
was followed by the official opening of
Santa's Workshop at the Freeport
Recreation Center. Several hundred
children welcomed Santa and enjoyed
the Winter Wonderland displays at the
center that night, while many more
stopped in to see Santa over the holi-day
season.
