2008 Archive - Page 1

Kings Park Museum

Kings Park Historians Miles Borden and Kingsley Pedlar pictured above at the Kings Park Heritage Museum.

Kings Park Museum
Heritage Week!
 

The Kings Park Heritage Museum highlighted the Museum's 14 year of existence with Kings Park Heritage Week which was held October 16-19, 2008.

The Town, The School District and the Museum Volunteers can feel deep pride in successfully creating this community asset and preserving our shared history!

Arts and Letters Hall of Fame
Induction Dinner

The Kings Park School District is proud to honor these graduates and residents of Kings Park who have contributed to our community through their respective fields. The awards presentation was on October 16th, 2008. Close to 200 people attended and enjoyed a great evening with friends and fantastic dinner provided by  Carrabba's Italian Grill!

All Heritage Week Pictures by King Pedlar!

---- 2008 Honorees ----

Robert Reddy - Jazz

Pictured Above Left, Mr. and Mrs. Reddy accepting the Hall Of Fame
Honors for their son Robert, who was on tour with his jazz band on the
Evening of the Arts and Letters Hall of Fame!

Louise Scutiero - Artist

Pictured above Honoree Louise Scutiero with just a few of what
reported to be at least 50 proud family members

Click Here to Watch Louise's Acceptance Video!
 

Edward Nicoletti - Movie Productions

Pictured Above Bob Nicoletti with Myra Fontana and Dr Cooper.
Bobbie was accepting the award for his brother Ed Nicoletti who at the
time of the ceremony was on location filming in California.

Lorraine Pravato - Opera


Pictured Above Famed Opera Singer Lori Pravato accepts Honors!
 

Steve Weber - Media Center

Pictured Above Anita Weber, Steve Weber and Kings Park
High School Principal Dr. Cooper.

Click HERE to View YouTube Video

Pre-Event Local Newspaper Coverage:

Post-Event Local Newspaper Coverage:

An Evening with Walter Nowick
Piano Concert
 

Carnegie Hall in Kings Park for Heritage Week!

World Famous Pianist and Kings Park Native Water Nowick gave a virtuoso, performance at the Ed Hogan Auditorium in celebration of Heritage Week on October 17th, 2008. Mr. Nowick toured the Soviet Union during the height of the cold war spreading fellowship through music.

Working with the Kings Park High School Film Club, the Kings Park Heritage Museum video taped this performance using four video cameras for a future documentary. The students are working hard on the final cut of the film.

Below is a raw clip from one of those cameras. Too great to wait for the actual film!

Click Here to View Raw Video Of  Concert!

Kings Park Psychiatric Center
Walking Tour
 

Kings Park Heritage Museum conducted several "Walking Tours of the Kings Park Psychiatric Center" and "Nissequogue River State Park during Heritage Week 2008.

The purpose of these tours is to increase understanding of the the History of the Kings Park Psychiatric Center, Debunk False Rumors, Discuss Possible Futures, Promote the Nissequogue River State Park, Discourage Trespassing and get some healthy exercise as well.

One unexpected outcome, the tour guides learned additional facts about the History of the KPPC from former employees and local residents.

   To make a reservation for future tours please email: info@kingsparkmuseum.com

Kings Park Heritage Museum
Afternoon Brunch

Outback Steakhouse once again sponsor the Heritage Museum Brunch. Jessica Maher of the Commack Outback Steak House was the perfect host!



Pictured Above are the Helping Hands Award Recipients for 2008. This award is given out each year to recognize those people who's selfless work has made the Kings Park Heritage Museum an even better place to visit.

Included in this year's class is Mrs. Lois Vulpis, by all accounts a "Dynamo!" who has single handedly vaulted the Heritage Museum to the next level through her organization and presentation talents.

Also honored was Kevin Johnson Jr., who spent hours and hours archiving the Kings Park Fire Department Photograph Collection for the Heritage Museum; all while having a broken leg.

Pictures above are the Superintendent Award Winners for 2008. This award is presented to those going above the call of duty to help make the Kings Park School System more responsive to the needs of the community.

Included in this class are Keri and Charlie Leo whose efforts to the community are much too long to list, not the least of which is their selfless work with the Kings Park Youth Organization, even going to the point of using their own home to store equipment and hold meetings.

Also Pictured Above is Dave Henderson, who received a separate award from the Village Film Festival for his fiction film on the Kings Park Psychiatric Center which humanizes the names and numbers which so often make up the institutional setting.

Local Newspaper Coverage:

2008 Kings Park Fire Department
Edward Mankuski Scholarship

The Kings Park Fire Department has announced the 2008 winners of the Edward Mankuski Scholarship Awards. These well deserving students each will receive a $1500 scholarship to the college of their choice.

This year's Edward Mankuski Scholarship Award Recipients are: Bonnie Beckman, Katie Boylan, Nora Cuff, Patrick Fagan, Holly Luscher, Caitlin McGreever, Janine Paliotta, Nicholas Pisciotta, Kristin Ramierez, Jessica Revere, Nancy Tello, and Alyssa Weisse.

---

Edward Mankuski Scholarship History
 

Above Left, Edward Mankuski Sr and Above Right, Edward Mankuski Jr.

Edward Mankuski Memorial Scholarship is given each year by the Kings Park Fire Department in memory of Edward B. Mankuski, U.S. Navy, Killed in Action during the Battle of the Coral Sea, Pacific Theater, July 18,th 1943 and in memory of his son, Chief Edward J. Mankuski, Kings Park Fire Department, Killed in the Line of Duty on February 15, 1974.

The Scholarship was established in 1964 to honor the supreme sacrifice of Seaman Edward Mankuski. In 1974, his son, Fire Chief Edward Mankuski Jr, was added to the annual award.
 

Above Left, Seaman Mankuski (front) on leave before being shipped out to fight in the Pacific Theater during World War II. Above Right, Kings Park's Bravest outside St Josephs Church, to honor Chief Mankuski, who like is father died in the line of duty. "Selfless Sacrifice", the best words to describe Kings Park's own, The Mankuski Family.

The Town of Smithtown and its seven fire departments saw fit to honor the late Chief Mankuski, who had served three terms as the Kings Park Fire Department's Senior Line Officer, by naming the town's Firematic Training Center in his name. Since 1974, this facility has been identified as the Edward J. Mankuski Firematic Training Center. The center was formally dedicated in a town-wide ceremony led by the Hon. Paul J. Fitzpatrick, Town Supervisor, father of Mike Fitzpatrick, New York State Assembly Member, on October 5th, 1974. - Miles Borden, "History of Kings Park", Published by The Kings Park Heritage Museum.

Click Image Above to View

2008 - Kings Park Jazz Festival

The Second Annual Kings Park Jazz festival was attended by close to 200 people. Performing was Don T's Inferno, Miles, The Blur Division and The Ranny Reeve Jazz Band, all with strong connections to Kings Park. The performer’s ages ranged from 15 to 85,  which also reflected the audience’s demographics. Many families came to the show with three generations. Only Jazz Music can to that.
 

Jazz Video!

Click HERE to View Video From The Festival

The Beanery in Kings Park Provided the Refreshments and  Mary Ann Lund, Artist to the Kings Park Heritage Museum  held an Art Exhibit in the lobby featuring Kings Park Scenes in all of her critically acclaimed water colors. The sound and lighting was managed by the Tech Squad from the Kings Park High School under the direction of Rick Holmes.

With the help of Kim Babski, the Kings Park Heritage Museum collected over 70 pairs of pajamas and 50 books for the Long Island Head Start program which helps children in need with basic services to better help them learn and grow.

Event Coordinator Steve Weber, Kings Park Historian King Pedlar and Heritage Museum Director Leo Ostebo delivered the donations to the Long Island Head Start Main Headquarters.

The Pajama Program’s Administrator Mrs. Burnett; wanted to express her deepest appreciation to all the people of Kings Park for their generosity, “This was quite a surprise! Totally unexpected….I have one wish for the people of Kings Park; may you sleep well and have pleasant dreams, comforted with the knowledge that you have insured that our children, will be doing the same. A warm set of pajamas and a good bed time story is the stuff which good dreams are made of.

2007 - Kings Park Film Festival

Final Results

Mary Anne Lund

Artist to the Kings Park Heritage Museum

Mary Anne Lund is a fine art landscape painter specializing in watercolor renderings of seashore, wetlands, marshes, and other scenic and historical sites of Long Island.

She has studied with noted accomplished artists, is a member of the Art League of Long Island, Wet Paints Studio Group, and several area Arts Councils.

Mary Anne has always been fascinated with nature and the strong emotional response between atmospheric effects and mood. She captures this in intimate impressions of the environment. Her unique blend of simplicity with select, closely observed detail gives the impression of little serendipitous discoveries - beckoning the viewer to explore what is just out of view.

About her work and inspiration, the artist brings clarity of vision in her own impressionistic interpretation of the landscape that draws a response from the viewer that is filled with poetic imagery. The artist says, "Who among us has not been stirred in their spirit at the sight of a sunlit meadow draped in a vista of wildflowers, a mist on the horizon, or a stormy sky framed against tall beach grass?

Walking the beach one can hear the rhythmic sounds of waves breaking and watch for patterns that form in the sand. Feelings are stirred from within at the sight of a gentle, benevolent rain, apple blossoms budding, the sound of gulls reeling in flight, silent snow, the stillness at dawn, the first light of day, and moonlight's spell."

Mary Anne, a native Long Islander, lives at the mouth of the Nissequogue River and Long Island Sound in Kings Park, New York from which she continues to draw much of her inspiration and compositions. Her work is proudly displayed in the Kings Park Heritage Museum.

For upcoming events, availability and details of paintings and prices, both in oil and watercolor mediums, please contact the artist. Commissions accepted.

Mary Anne Lund's Contact Information:

Mary Anne Lund
PO Box Three
Kings Park, NY 11754
631-269-5465

Email:
 MaryAnneLund@Yahoo.com

Web Site:
http://www.myspace.com/maryannelund