3rd Annual General Needs Gala

General Needs: People Who Provide the Basics

We remember when Lonnie Sherman was first struck by the number of veterans he’d met who were lacking the most basic items. His first response was to run out and buy a whole bunch of socks and underwear to donate. We met him soon after at a Huntington Rotary Meeting, when he had then committed to sharing his experience and asking others to join him.

That effort has blossomed into General Needs, a Northport-based nonprofit distributing necessary clothing, toiletries and other basic items directly to veterans. Since inception distributions have increased from sporadic to quarterly to monthly. According to the Long Island Times, by March 2025, the organization has donated 9,029 coats, 55,555 pairs of socks, 3,300 pillows and 10,224 boots.

Beyond their direct services, General Needs provides a helpful resources page on their website with links to other public and private organizations designed to help veterans. Check it out, there’s a lot there.

Upcoming 3rd Annual Gala

To support future distributions and to learn more about General Needs, you may join in their Annual Gala happening this June. Honoring Paule Patcher, Navy Veteran Mike Sweeney and giving out The Kathy Gibson youth award, General Needs will offer “an extraordinary dining experience with hand crafted cocktails where you will journey on the path showcasing how we support our veteran’s needs.”

The event will specifically support “The Welcome Home Project,” which provides household supplies and support to veterans. Your attendance helps ensure these veterans receive the stability, dignity, and support they deserve. 

Tickets range from $200 for general admission to $1,750 for a table of ten. Veterans pay a discount price of $150.

 It’s all for an amazing cause. We encourage you to click below and see more.

When: Friday, June 12th, from 6:30-11
Where: Leonard’s Palazzo, 555 Northern Boulevard, Great Neck, NY 11021
For More Information: Click here to visit General Need’s Website
To Purchase Tickets: Click here

Upcoming: Wounded Warrior Amputee Softball Game

This June 12-13, look out for the 11th USA Patriots Amputee Softball Team’s, a.k.a. The National Wounded Warrior Amputee Softball Team game to be played on Long Island. Put on by Long Island local Joe Bartumioli, and split up over 2 days in June, “Impactful Friday,” and “Super Saturday” are all about veteran amputees demonstrating perseverance in action.

Continue reading

Applications Open for Devlin Starr Memorial Art Award

A Gift of Space and Encouragement to Create

The Devlin Starr Memorial Art Award, “reflects Devlin’s advocacy of giving people ‘space’ both figuratively and literally to create. He believed that with access to space, materials and people who believed in him, he had the freedom and encouragement to pursue his artistic vision and was able to create his best work.”

Emerging Multimedia Artists aged 18-28 are invited to apply for this $3000 award intended to provide an opportunity to “push artistic limits and expand their body of work.” 

Applications Due By: May 8th
For Guidelines and to Submit: Visit the Huntington Arts Council Website. 
A small event will be held June 25th, highlighting the award recipient and showing a selection of their work. A short feature will also be included in the spring issue of the Huntington Arts Council’s beautiful and informative Arts Cultural Magazine

About Devlin Starr

A beloved son of a beloved member of the Long Island Arts Community, the Huntington Arts Council website will tell you that “Devlin was a multimedia artist, attending the University Of Hartford School Of Art pursuing his BFA in sculpture/minor in chemistry, and member of the HAC family. His art, thought-provoking at times, was a reflection of himself, his desire to understand human nature, and express his feelings. Devlin was most comfortable in nature; exploring the woods, walking the beaches, and hiking. Painter, sculptor, photographer, videographer and musician, Devlin created with anything he could get his hands on. Supporting his peers and encouraging young artists to create, Devlin’s compassion for others defined him.”

Devlin's Light Endures Because of Our Community

That website also reminds us that, “the Devlin Starr Memorial Art Award is funded by the heartfelt, and overwhelming generosity of so many friends, family, colleagues, coworkers, and people who never even met him. Devlin’s artwork was a reflection of who he was, and how he saw the world. This award is a beautiful tribute to his creativity, artistry and kind and gentle soul; always one to put others first. We are so grateful and appreciative for the ongoing outreach and support of our family.”

If you would like to help advance this legacy, please consider donating here

A Fairy Tale Evening…Do You Know About the Festival?

A “Fairy Festival” at Sands Point Preserve has become an annual thing. It starts with a uniquely fantastic art show. 

Did You Know About The Fairy Festival? Re-Wild? The MOSAIC Festival?

Did you know there’s a Fairy Festival that happens every year in that fairy tale castle out at Sands Point Preserve? You can still get tickets. They’re $100 per parking vehicle, so we’d definitely carpool! 

Oh, my goodness. We are grateful Firefly Loretta Cerame brought us out there. The show is fantastic and her work is beautiful. The 2D works gracing the walls are amazing, and we are delighted by the focus on sculptural “Fairy Houses.” Among those artists, Dianna Facci, chose to use her prize winning piece to showcase the creative potential of Native Plants and to use the whole event as an opportunity to seed awareness of the sustainable landscaping organization, Re-Wild Long Island.

Loretta Cerame with her enchanting oil painting, “Vedia-Forest Spirit” (photo provided by Loretta) and Dianna Facci with her naturally derived sculpture, “Soaring to New Heights”

A Win for Re-wild: The Art of Native Gardening

Flowers in Dianna’s Fairy House, “Soaring to New Heights,” were made from the seed cases of Butterfly Milkweed and what my daughter always called “Spiky Balls.” There were dragonflies crafted from them as well, and so much more. Maybe 80 hours of work, she wondered? We talked about how, when you’re doing something like that, it’s kind of all day every day. Sometimes especially when you’re sleeping. So maybe a bit more than that…

Other projects Dianna’s working on – which apparently literally seed her art — include endeavors like helping design and realize the Valley Stream Community Garden and other projects of the South Nassau Chapter of Re-Wild.

Detail of Dianna Facci’s piece. Love the bees!

Word from the East End Arts Council

We also got to meet Melissa Pressler of the East End Arts Council, and learn a little bit about what’s going on out there in Riverhead. Her collage is amazing! They just moved out of their historic offices so that the building can be lifted to protect from floods. We pray for a smooth elevation and a quick return to the charming building they have long called home! 

She was excited about the mixed media artwork her young students created for this show, and the Arts Council’s upcoming 30th Annual MOSAIC Festival, which happens on Memorial Day. It’s actually mostly about chalk…and community. There is other art, too, and music, and more. This year, it will include a community street mural to commemorate the 250th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence.

They call it “Long Island’s Most Colorful Day of the Year.” I’d like to check it out after the parade.

Melissa Pressler, who works for the East End Arts Council, and her captivating collage, “Year of the Wood Snake.” This piece includes authentic skin donated by a slithery friend. After years of receiving that gift of texture from him, she has recently returned the kindness by giving that snake a home. His name is Stanley. 

Thank You

There was more. The exhibition truly is stunning. On beyond grateful for friends like Loretta who give us great reasons to do these things, and for all the folks who make these things happen at all. We wish all an enchanting weekend! 

More detail of Dianna’s “Soaring to New Heights”

Image of a young artist and appreciator provided by Loretta Cerame

“Blink and You’ll Miss It” a remarkable tiny sculpture (yes, that’s an acorn he’s transformed into a cottage!) by Patrick Louie

Honoring the 250th Annivesary of the Declaration of Independence

Above, the logo for a Huntington Historical Society Project: “What Liberty Means to Me,” which collected reflections from all willing to offer them earlier this year. We look forward to seeing what they’ve captured. 

250 Years Ago, A Bold and Righteous Proclomation Was Made.

It has been 250 years since America’s lofty revolution and the remarkable war inevitably to follow. This July, we celebrate the 250th Anniversary of the Declaration of Independence, a mighty document inscribing self-evident truths; truths clear to the enlightened men of the time and truths standing as guiding principles to those living in these United States since. 

In recognizing this arc of freedom, we celebrate words and ideas coming from not only those of the 18th century (who studied hard the thoughts of those who came before), but also the 19th, 20th and 21st.  We think about the creation of our Constitution, and the robust intellects and passionate hearts whose words and deeds have shaped our enchanting, individualist nation. We pray that folks take interest in the noble ideals in which this county is grounded, and give their best to uphold and strengthen them.

We remember Abraham Lincoln and Dwight D. Eisenhower, and the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.; these and others who led us to realize the natural rights of millions, who led this body of United States to grow closer to its stated founding principals, and who made the idea of “America” an inspiration worldwide.

As we reflect on this poignant moment and the journey here, we encourage you to check out various ways our neighbors are celebrating the occasion. If you have your own related events to promote, many of these are good places to do that, too!

America 250: Celebrating Huntington, NY

John Daniello has put together a seven-month series that has been unfolding at the Huntington Public Library. It will be on view through July. This website serves as a companion piece, allowing the viewer “to dive even deeper into the exhibit with added details, stories and discoveries.”  It’s a fascinating look at the story of the Revolutionary War, and the particular role the Town of Huntington played in it. Not a bad place to start!

Huntington Historical Society

The Huntington Historical Society website offers a beautiful events tab where you can find tours of historical sites, and events connected to their “Liberty 250: Huntington Celebrates American Independence” project. Accessed directly through their homepage, you can find biographies of Revolutionary War Patriots, and a virtual tour of Huntington’s Revolutionary War Trail hosted by town historian Robert Hughes. We are excited to see the product of their “Liberty 250: What Liberty Means to Me” project, and are thinking a lot ourselves about that. 

We The People: A Conversation About Art & Democracy

One upcoming event will occur at the intersection of civic life and artistic expression: A Democracy Dinner, hosted by The Huntington Historical Society and the Heckscher Museum.
 
When: Thursday, May 14 from 6-8:30pm
Where: Dr. Daniel W. Kissam Property, 434 Park Avenue, Huntington
To Register: Visit The Huntington Historical Society website
 

There will be food, conversation, and human connection. Artists from the Museum’s Just Powers: Long Island Biennial 2026 exhibition will join as special guests, enriching this already ripe conversation. Looks like an interesting night! 

There’s a lot more going on, too! For starters, if you like the art aspect, this Historical Society is also hosting “Revolutionary Incidents in Huntington: Occupation & Resistance” in the Soldiers and Sailors Memorial,  the Nassau County Museum of Art and the Long Island Museum each have fascinating exhibitions, and The East End Arts Council is working on a community street mural as part of it’s annual MOSAIC festival. We’re sure there’s more….for artists, historians, folks who care about civics and what it all means today. Lot’s more. Check it out: 

The Town of Huntington's Liberty 250 Page

The Town put together a planning committee of local heritage organizations and museums to plan and coordinate exhibits and programs commemorating the 250th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence. As part of this, they have crafted a web page that offers an app on Bloomberg Connects that provides educational videos, an interactive map of local Revoluntionary War sites, and a calendar of events from organizations such as the Walt Whitman Birthplace, Lefferts Tide Mill & Preserve, Heckscher Museum, and Huntington Historical Society, 

Suffolk250.org

Exploring a little further afield, Suffolk County has worked with a an impressive array of local museums, cultural organizations, and historical societies to assemble Suffolk250.org, a website that invites you to explore and celebrate our region’s pivotal role in the American Revolution. There, you can find an interactive map of events throughout the county, get a passport book to log your own exploration, view a documentary series, and even sign up to plant a legacy tree.

Nassau County

Nassau County Tourism has put together Nassau County 250: It’s Revolutionary. According to the website, “a curated series of America 250 blogs and features, Nassau County Tourism highlights Revolutionary War landmarks, historic estates, presidential connections, and waterfront villages across the county. Each story is designed to inspire real-world exploration, encouraging you to visit the sites where history happened.” The website also lists events and programs occurring throughout the year. 

 

Discover Long Island

Last but not least, Discover Long Island, the full region’s one and only destination marketing organization, has it’s own page, LongIsland250. This, it promotes as “the official guide for commemorating & celebrating the 250th Anniversary of the American Revolution on Long Island.” Designed to “showcase Long Island’s integral role in the Revolutionary War effort and profound ties to then Gen. George Washington, this site will serve as the ultimate guide for experiencing Long Island’s fascinating wartime history filled with spies and intrigue.”

Subscribe To The Synchronicity Newsletter