A report from Vision Long Island on the LI Lobby Coalition and a preview of the Complete Streets Summit. Save the date for the Smart Growth Awards now!
Continue readingVision Update: Complete Streets Summit, LI Lobby Coalition, Smart Growth Awards
Repair Café South Huntington!
The Repair Café is Coming to South Huntington
The Repair Cafe is about repairing broke items together. It’s a great place to get advice, learn a thing or two, and be inspired! There are no guarantees, but a promise to try. Many find the experience itself worth the effort. Folks involved are excited to announce that the next one will be held:
When: Saturday, March 16, 2024 from 1-4pm
Where: South Huntington Public Library, 145 Pidgeon Hill Rd, Huntington Station
Want to Help or Learn More? Email starflexp@aol.com
Want to Help?
Are you handy? With machines? Electronics? A needle and thread, perhaps?
Would you share this knowledge with others? Just want to keep folks from throwing good things into landfills, maybe help them save a few dollars? Come with your kids and teach them? Just come to learn and make new friends?
Get involved in The Repair Café!
Learn More!
Check out The Repair Café Long Island on Facebook.
Just scroll through the images there and look at these folks helping each other and learning so much together.
Oh my goodness!
For years now, Laurie Farber of Starflower Experiences has made it part of her mission to help people fix things rather than just throw them out. First efforts in Wyandanch were successful. Then they built on the idea. The concept survived COVID. A natural partner, libraries, LOVE it when she brings her can-do TLC to their spaces. They’ve been to South Huntington before, as well as the Harborfields Library in Greenlawn, Comsewogue in Port Jefferson Station, Copaigue, Lindenhurst, more!
She’s got calls coming in for this program Island-wide. Anyone willing to help her answer them is greatly appreciated!
Laurie Explains
You don’t have to be super mechanical. Everybody can teach or help with something.
Said Laurie: “The more volunteers, the faster folks can get things repaired. People need to be able to bring their own tools. We get a lot of TVs and lamps and small electronics. We also could use people who are good with furniture, clothing/textiles (with sewing machine), more people for jewelry, anyone for watches and clocks, and other miscellaneous things (last time we had an ironing board, bicycle, a small statue that needed to be glued back together…).
We could also make space for a mental health person who would take time to listen to folks who just have a need to talk, or anyone who can do massage (sure, we can ‘fix’ people, too!).
Anyone who’d like to do some small DIY demos like how to sew on a button, darn a sock, rewire a lamp… Join us!
Get Involved!
We imagine The Repair Café would be an EXCELLENT service project for Scouts, and really anyone who wants to promote the fine art of giving things a second chance at life, and to help make the world little thriftier and more self-reliant.
The best way to get in touch is through the Repair Cafe Long Island Facebook Page. You may also contact Laurie at starflexp@aol.com to learn more!!!
Photos of Repair Cafe’s across Long Island. Photo Credit: Laurie Farber.
Tell Your Tale at the Next Northport Story Slam
Story Tellers Wanted for the Next Northport Story Slam!
Inspired by The Moth radio hour, Elizabeth Alexander has been organizing storytelling events in Northport Village and the surrounding area. In crafting these “Northport Story Slams,” she is creating opportunities for the community to connect and to be inspired.
Moth-style storytelling is a genre of personal narrative stories about an experience that took place in the storyteller’s life. The stories are crafted, planned, and told (not read) before a live audience. It’s a wonderful art form that allows folks to connect at a very human level.
They’ve been a fantastic way to get to know our neighbors, and build community. We were thrilled to host the last one at The Firefly and are excited to hear of this next one!
Upcoming Northport Story Slam Details
Date: Sunday, May 19 at 6pm
Theme: “coincidences”
Where: Outdoor stage on Union Place, Northport
Got a Story to Tell?: Call or text Liz @ 631-375-4414 or email Northportvillagestorytelling@gmail.com. Please also check out the basic guidelines below.
Basic Guidelines for Storytelling
1. Tell story in 5-10 minutes
2. Your story is to be told, not read
3. Base your story on the theme: coincidences
4. Craft your story
5. Story must be about a personal experience.
6. No stand-up comedy acts or rants
Coltrane Home Update – Grateful to Hear: This is Getting Real
Coltrane Home Reaches Transformational Milestone: Things are Moving!!!
John Coltrane was an extraordinary musician – sometimes compared to the genius of Einstein, other times considered on a plane all his own. He wrote what most consider to be his masterwork, “A Love Supreme” in his Dix Hills home. Musicians I have encountered since learning more about this local, international, perhaps even cosmic treasure, have gotten me to appreciate his wife, Alice even more deeply.
Transcending music alone, both sought to be forces for good and were deeply, deeply spiritual.
Saving the Dix Hills Home
About 20 years ago, now, a Coltrane fan named Steve Fulgoni realized where the Coltrane house was, just as it was being scheduled for demolition. He partnered with all who were willing – family, fellow musicians, fans, local historians and more – to save it from destruction.
Spared the bulldozer, this group of ardent volunteers realized they now had a much bigger job on their hands. In the decades since they have done tremendous work – both on the home and in building awareness and appreciation of these legends.
You can read about the home, the Coltrane legacy and more on the website dedicated to this project.
A Transformative Milestone
Now, it seems, the project has reached a transformational milestone. It was a delight to hear about a recent $1.75M “JumpSMART” GRANT from Suffolk County. This, together with a $1M grant from the Mellon Foundation and countless other gifts is making the restoration of this National Treasure a reality.
You may find daughter Michelle Coltrane’s heartfelt thanks and see some images of ongoing work in this recent newsletter.
Fulgoni’s speech at the press conference about the recent grant is here:
Press Coverage
I am grateful to a motley crew of dedicated volunteers, including Friends of the Coltrane Home in Dix Hills Board Members and Coltane COLTRANE family members who help each other stay apprised of news coverage. Here’s the latest:
• You can learn a little bit about other milestones in getting this home formally recognized and revitalized, as well as about the Suffolk County JumpSMART program in the Long Island Times article “Coltrane Home gets $1.75M from Suffolk County”
• News 12 had a piece on the grant that features video of the interior of the home: “Suffolk County expected to announce over $1.7 million in funding for John and Alice Coltrane Home in Dix Hills”
• There’s more detail in this article by John Valenti for Newsday (subscription required – or visit your local library~!), “Jazz legacy: John & Alice Coltrane Home in Dix Hills to get $1.75M grant for upgrades”
• More recently, also in Newsday, Robert Brodsky published this beautiful, in depth article, complete with video of the home: “John Coltrane and Alice Coltrane home on Long Island undergoes renovation in effort to preserve history”
• This article from Clive Young for Mix Online tells more about the Coltranes and the significance of the home, as well as plans for its future, “John Coltrane House Awarded $1.75M to Renovate Home Studio, More”
• Here’s a little more about the JumpSMART grant from in Long Island.com: “Suffolk County Executive Bellone To Announce Nearly $2 Million In Jumpsmart Funding To The John & Alice Coltrane Home”
Learn More About the Coltranes
– Here’s a beautiful, recent article from Jeff MacGregor in The Smithsonian magazine, “How John Coltrane’s ‘My Favorite Things’ Changed American Music”
– Here’s a 2018 Synchronicity Article entitled, “Notes From Joe” with older clippings collected by Coltrane Volunteer Joe Natter that we published some years ago. Worth a re-read! “Notes from Joe”
Some Good Books
One book on John Coltrane that I think musicians, especially may appreciate is Ascension by Eric Nisenson,
“Nice choice!” said Noah, the salesman in a local bookstore, when I brought it to the counter. He then promptly recommended, . “Coltrane on Coltrane” by Chris DeVito and asked me if I knew that the Coltranes had lived around here.
I went home happily and shared my finds with some Coltrane Board Members.
“Chris DeVito’s book, Coltrane on Coltrane is a text version of every Coltrane interview out there,” said Steve, “There are some online audio versions of those interviews where you can hear John talking and really get a feel for who he is.”
A YouTube search reveals a fascinating set of interviews with and about Coltrane
Another board member offered a few of their favorite biographies: Ashley Kahn’s A Love Supreme and what they felt was the best scholarly biography, Lewis Porter’s John Coltrane: His Life and Music. We learned Lewis also has amazing lectures available online in his Deep Dives.
We also refer you to the Half Hollow Hills Library where Coltrane volunteer Ellen Druda, a wonderful, retired librarian has helped create a ‘Coltrane Computer’ with hundreds of images.
It’s all quite enlightening…Enjoy. <3
Shop Local! 2024 Northport Shopping Guide
We are incredibly grateful for our Northport neighbors, and warmly recommend the whole village experience. Pop in and support these folks who give so much to our communities. You’ll be glad you did. It’s easy to find wonderful gifts for not nearly as much as you might think, and a great way to keep all sorts of magic alive.
Continue readingShop Local! Beckman’s Florist
Photo of Beckman’s Florist by Katheryn Laible
Sometimes, you learn, there have been treasures under your nose all along. This one’s perfect for Valentine’s Day!
We recently discovered the family-owned Beckman’s Florist, which has proudly served Long Island from it’s Larkfield Rd, East Northport location for almost 75 years. It was a lovely experience.
The service was impeccable, the corsage incredible. It was also a delight to see all the gorgeous arrangements being prepared to grace other special occasions, offer love and care, and make any old day a bit brighter.
They have lovely gifts, too! This butterfly garden ornament is one of my favorite things. <3
Nominate for FMC Folio Awards by 2/1!
Journalists, freelancers, students — All are eligible! Nominate your choice for best in news and social media today!
Continue readingRev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Day, 2024: To Reflect and Serve
The third Monday in January is reserved to honor the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. whose 95th birthday would be this year. It is the only federal holiday formally recognized as a national day of service, “a day on, not a day off.” In the spirit of listening and thinking first, people are warmly encouraged to study the works of King, and to devote time to serious reflection on how we will endeavor toward a healthier, more just world for all. Here are a few resources.
Continue readingHeroes Among Us: Fireman Ralph Tiso
This story isn’t really about 9/11, though it kind of started and ended there…it’s about Ralph Tiso, one of the “Heroes Among Us”
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