Repair Café Heading to Sayville

The Repair Café is Coming to Sayville

In a time where buying something new often comes before fixing what we have, The Repair Cafe is a great place to get advice, offer your expertise, 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: May 9, 12pm-3pm 
Where: Sayville Public Library, 88 Green Ave, Sayville, NY 11792

Want to Help?

Are you handy with machines? Electronics? Even a needle & thread?

Would you share this knowledge with the community? Help keep folks from throwing good things into landfills? Maybe just help folks save a few dollars? Come with your kids and teach them, come to teach others, or just come to learn and make new friends?

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. 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!!!

Get involved in The Repair Café!

Laurie Explains

You don’t have to be 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!

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. Starting in Wyandanch, they built on the idea and carried it through covid. A natural partner, libraries which already work to provide communities with a number of educative resources, allow her to use to their space to strengthen their peoples capability. They’ve been to Huntington before, as well as a number of locations across Long Island. Anyone willing to volunteer and help the program is greatly appreciated!
 

Additional Events Will Be Held

June 20 – Longwood Public Library 10:00 – 2:00
August 1 – Hauppauge Public Library 11:30 – 3:30
August 8 – Huntington Public Library (Main) 10:00 – 2:00
August 15 – Bayshore Brightwaters Library 11:00 – 3:00
November 7 – Copiague Public Library 11:30 – 3:30
Feb 27, 2027 Harborfields Public Library 1:00 – 4:00
March 13, 2027 – South Huntington Public Library 1:00 – 4:00

Photos of Repair Cafe’s across Long Island. Photo Credit: Laurie Farber.

Fair Media Council: “The First 60 Minutes: A Crisis Management Masterclass for Communicators”

When things go awry, the most important thing is how we respond. Trust is hard to build and easy to break. No matter what the truth is, public perception is huge. Managing that effectively is an important skill set, especially for those giving it their best to serve the common good.

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16th Annual Huntington Station Spring Clean-Up

16th Annual Spring Clean-Up

The Friends of Huntington Station Latin Quarter is holding its 16th Annual Spring Clean-Up on Sunday, May 3rd. 

Sponsored by Palacios Law Group, Huntington Matters, Quality Island Landscaping, and the Huntington Station Business Improvement District (BID); the flyer states, “Join our efforts to make Huntington Station clean & welcoming. All are invited to help us beautify & instill pride in our community.” 

We are grateful for all the folks who come together each year to make this happen. Those involved say it’s a wonderful way to serve the community, and catch up with neighbors. Not only does it make a tremendous difference at the time, the cleanup effort inspires others to keep things nice throughout the year. 

What: Friends of Huntington Station’s 16th Annual Spring Clean-Up
Where: 1399 New York Ave, Huntington Station
When: Sunday, May 3 at 1pm
For More information: Call 917-836-8772, email info@hslq.org, or visit them on Facebook.

Honoring Firefly’s Light: Love you, Jim

Photo of Jim outside our old location soon after our tremendous effort to build the gallery by Katheryn Laible

Thank you, Joanne Kountourakis of the Northport Journal for this beautiful article about Jim Darcy, who passed on at the very beginning of March. Jim was a founding Firefly and a dear friend to most everyone he met. One of our brightest, most enthusiastic lights, Jim embodied this institution’s very heart and soul. We are all better people for having known him.

There is more to say than I can bring myself to right now. A true artist’s’ artist, Jim exemplified creativity and determined optimism. He served as a testament to the fact that the toughest men in the world are also the kindest. His stories were incredible. His enthusiasm contagious. We miss him dearly, and seek to ensure that the spirit he imbued us with fills the hearts and minds of creatives evermore.

A CELEBRATION OF LIFE will be held April 26, from 2-5pm at The Firefly Artists, 90 Main St., Northport

A SCHOLARSHIP FUND has been established, reflecting Jim’s deep belief in the power of the arts and his passion for encouraging people to pursue their creative interests.

A CALL FOR DARCY ART: As part of the celebration, and in hopes that some may be so kind as to allow the family to make digital copies, we are inviting owners of Jim Darcy artworks to show them in our windows for the last two weeks of April.

Please email events@thefireflyartists.com to inquire.

The First Clue We Were Friends

Life With Jim

I was grateful to get to do a solo show at Moksha Cafe (formerly Portofino) in Northport that was dedicated to Jim. In writing about that we shared a little bit about what it was like to be his friend. 

Oh, my dear, dear friend. How blessed are we to have had Jim Darcy in our lives? Sweet, funny sailor. Survivor of so many things. There was poetry, plants…so many birds. Chipmunks who came when you called. Never without a new and amazing story. Would that we could have painted for as many hours as you wanted. It would have been time well spent. Thank you for being such a marvelous friend. We are all better people for having known you. 

So much love to your beautiful family, and to all who love you so. I’m sure they’re having a great big party up there. May we ever feel your spirit close. Sure gonna miss you and your indomitable spirit. Thank you for hanging out as long as you did. 

Love you, Jim.

Pal-O-Mine Events!

Pal-O-Mine Equestrian is celebrating 30 years of service! Since 1995, they’ve provided a comprehensive therapeutic equine program, using horses to facilitate growth, learning and healing among children and adults with disabilities, survivors of trauma and abuse, the military and the impoverished. Their J-STEP program goes further, using the more agricultural aspects of the farm setting to serve young adults with disabilities by teaching job-readiness skills such as teamwork, communication, problem-solving, and entrepreneurship, as well as independent living skills including organization, hygiene, finance, and nutrition.

They invite you to Save the Date for a number of upcoming events that offer opportunities to connect with and support their work. First up is an Open House happening September 7th, 11am-3pm. Open to the public, this a great way to learn about Pal-O-Mine and how they may help. For those who already understand the deep value, please consider supporting Pal-O-Mine’s 30th Anniversary Celebration, which is occurring Saturday September 20th at 4:30pm.  Additional fundraisers specifically to support work with Veterans and NYPD folk will occur October 19th at 10am. A truly lovely holiday event, Their Winter Wonderland will be happening December 5-7.

Visit the Pal-O-Mine Equestrian website to learn more!    

A Grateful Prayer: Rise and Shine

Photo entitled “Angels in the Troposphere III” by Katheryn Laible

Good morning. Rise and shine! Grateful for all with calm heads, clear eyes, pure hearts and brave souls.

To all those willing and able to speak truth and shine light; humbly, gracefully, earnestly willing to give their best;

To all who understand the Golden Rule, the sacred secular hope of our Nation’s founding, the value of the scientific method and journalistic standards, the nuance of complex history, ethics/morality and just plain common decency… to all who will uplift and stand for those who honor them, and to all those who are bravely, honestly giving it their best to learn better and do better…

For all those willing to have compassion for, and comfort, and patiently yet firmly guide to better places all who are struggling and confused and displaced and frustrated and scared and distrustful and regretful and overwhelmed and completely misled and burnt out and totally traumatized… who isn’t, in one uniquely complex way or another?

Grateful to all who start with themselves and those they know and love best, wherever you are, whatever you happen to specialize in. Grateful to all who give their lives to serve others and who help us to help ourselves so we can better help others and work together to make it all better for everyone…grateful to all who tend their own little space with love and light.

For all who recognize our common souls and unique gifts and this beautiful miracle of a planet that sustains us, that we are responsible for, and which we share with so many other souls we’re only beginning to recognize — tragically broken and yet so worth mending — and for all who keep the faith; those who see the light in the darkness, and those who honestly build the faith that we are not alone in wanting things to work out for the best for this whole precious world.

For every creature who stands up for truth and love with honor and integrity because they know it’s the right thing to do; for all who give it their best to learn and to do better than they might have done before; grateful to all who will offer a hand on board to those brave enough to cast aside what they realize is wrong, and to all who stand and uphold whatever it is they know is right.

It matters so much. It really, really does. May God that is ultimate truth and love guide us all. Best with everything.

2025 Smart Growth Awards

Smart Growth Awards Logo

For over 20 years Vision Long Island has been honoring individuals, organizations, and projects that advance the growth of our downtowns and infrastructure. Specific focus areas include transit oriented development, affordable housing, environmental sustainability, traffic calming, transportation enhancements, clean energy and community based planning.

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J-STEP Hopes Folks Will Help Build a Kitchen

J-STEP Interns welcome you!

Pal-O-Mine Equestrian is hoping folks will help build an accessible kitchen for its J-STEP (Job Security Through Equine Partnership) Vocational Internship program.

The Program

We’ve written about Pal-O-Mine before. Having served Long Island since 1995, some say their job is working miracles. Really, though, with the support of generous friends and foundation grants, what Pal-O-Mine does is provide a comprehensive therapeutic equine program, using horses to facilitate growth, learning and healing among children and adults with disabilities, survivors of trauma and abuse, the military and the impoverished.

Their J-STEP program goes further, serving young adults with disabilities by teaching job-readiness skills such as teamwork, communication, problem-solving, and entrepreneurship, as well as independent living skills including organization, hygiene, finance, and nutrition.  J-STEP Interns plant and maintain their own flower and vegetable gardens, create and sell their own self-care line as well as run a successful CSA (Community Supported Agriculture) program. They also create and sell artisan crafts.

Why a Kitchen?

Gardening and farming directly relate to cooking as they provide the ingredients. Gardening, on a smaller scale, and farming, on a larger scale, involve growing plants, including vegetables, fruits, and herbs, which are then used in cooking to create meals. This connection extends beyond providing ingredients, fostering a deeper understanding of where food comes from and promoting healthier eating habits.

One essential independent living skill is the ability to cook and make nutritious meals. Being able to cook can generally improve overall health. It brings people together, relieves stress, can help people to save money, and is a source of great joy and personal confidence. Furthermore, learning to cook develops other key skills, such as time management, following instructions, and kitchen safety.

What Will it Take?

Pal-O-Mine spans across 13 acres. J-STEP is located on one of these acres. It includes a roadside farm stand, an accessible, temperature-controlled greenhouse, and their own small house where J-STEP interns do most of their work.  The house consists of a bathroom and 3 small work areas that are separated by half-walls. In consultation with a building contractor, they estimate it will cost $250,000 to add a room with plumbing, electricity, and the latest kitchen equipment.

They ask for your help by funding this project so they they can help their interns live happy and healthy lives. They also hope you’ll check out the events below, and come see what the whole farm is about! 

You may also simply donate.

Thank you for your kind consideration

Upcoming Events at Pal-O-Mine Equestrian: 9/7, 11am-3pm, Open House, Open to the public. 9/20, 5pm, 30th Anniversary Celebration 10/19, Vet Fest and NYPD Fundraiser 12/5-7, Winter Wonderland. Events will be held at the farm, 819 Old Nichols Rd, Islandia. Visit their website for details.

“Tower to the People” Tonight at the Cinema Arts Centre!

The Phase 1 groundbreaking ceremony for the Tesla Science Center at Wardenclyffe (TSCW) marked a milestone in a massive international and yet deeply local endeavor to restore Nikola Tesla’s last remaining laboratory, advance his humanistic legacy, and inspire great innovation.

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