Kings Park Heritage Museum
Mentoring For Children

Smithtown Town Council Member Pat Biancaniello visited the Kings Park Heritage Museum on October 8th, 2008 to speak to a group of Kings Park's Smartest, the Girl Scouts of Troop 48. The days topic was "Women's Right To Vote".

"Women are Like Teabags"

The lone woman on the Smithtown Town Council proudly proclaimed. "You never know how strong you are until things get hot!". Pictured above the young ladies of Troop 48 had plenty of questions for Council Member Pat.

The Heritage Mentoring Program which is part of the overall outreach program by the Kings Park Heritage Museum to bring together Kings Park Best Role Models and Young Students to learn from each other and grow as people as a community.

In addition to her work on the Smithtown Council, Pat Biancaniello is also the former president of the League of Women Voters of Smithtown and will be speaking on "Women's Suffrage - How the Vote Was Won" on October 27 at the Old Town Hall in Babylon.

For More information click HERE to download more information or contact the Airmid Theatre Company at www.airmidtheatre.org or call 631-704-2888.

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American Legion Donates American Flag
to Heritage Museum!

Pictured above,  Kings Park's Mattie O’Riely presents American Flag to King Park Historian and fellow American Legion Member King Pedlar as a much anticipated addition to the Cusick Room at the Kings Park Heritage Museum. This historic flag flew over the Veterans Plaza for one year, Memorial Day 2007 until Memorial Day 2008.

Mattie O’Riely served in the Pacific Theater in 1943, building the landing strips which enabled damaged aircrafts and injured airmen to land. “There were long periods of boredom separated by moments of complete terror. When those bomb start falling all around you, you find a way to keep going and be someone your fellow soldiers can count on.”

In addition to his military service, “Mattie O” as he is affectionately known, was the editor of the Kings Park State Hospital’s Newspaper called “The Reporter”. Mattie’s quick wit and optimistic outlook was the trademark of his editorial work. When asked about his writing style, Mattie remarked……”My typewriter always had a smile!”

"Mattie O" a Kings Park Original!

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Landing Avenue Methodist Church

The Landing Avenue Methodist Church is located in a small valley on Landing Avenue, Just south of the Smithtown Landing Golf Course. This church was originally founded in 1834 and held mass every Sunday until 1957. Many of the original congregation is buried in the church yard which surrounds the church. One can not help but notice the small church surrounded by these tombstones and wonder what the inside of the church looks like. My daughter once asked, "Are all the people dead? Is that why the church is never open?

When members of the Kings Park Heritage Museum noticed that the semiannual church service was to be held in September, we marked our calendar.

I Walked up the stairs of the church on that September morning, slowly opened the doors and looked inside to see the most beautiful lady lighting the candles for mass. She was not a young lady but in my eyes, she was so elegant that these pictures could not do her justice.
 

The first thing which stuck me was that the church looked like this was just another Sunday, putting aside that the last service was close to a year past. Secondly I noticed that the tombstones which driving by in a car looked so creepy, now from inside the church looking outward appeared to be comforting and I felt a warmth and peace which is very difficult to explain.

I recognized many of the people arriving as being members of historic Kings Park and Smithtown Families, each with a heartwarming story to tell about their family and the church, each more then willing to show where their relatives are buried and tell about lives past.

I couldn't help but rummage through the attic and found many very interesting artifacts which are also captured in the pictures posted here, not the lease of which is a certificate from the Ladies Temperance Movement.

After church we all went outside the church, had an old fashion lunch complete with lemonade and walked around the church cemetery. I couldn't help but wonder how many times this afternoon has played itself out over the years. One thing is for sure, I will never miss one of these masses in the future.

After most people left, I went to say goodbye to the lady who I first met while she was lighting the church candles, I couldn't find her, I asked Mr. Hawkins if he had seen the lady, he said that I must have been drinking too much lemonade and explained that he lit the candles this morning.

-Steve Weber-

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Paul Zunno Supports
"911 First Responders"

A while back I received an email from Susan Centore, a long time supporter of my music, about a book written by her husband, Steve Centore. The book is called, “One of Them, A First Responder’s Story”. Susan explained how her husband, a responder to the 9/11 terrorist attack in NYC, had became gravely ill following his exposure to working at ground zero. I then began researching any sites dedicated to ill 9/11 first responders. I found John Feal and the FealGood Foundation, a non-profit organization, created to educate the public about the health effects on 9/11 first responders as well as to provide assistance to relieve these great heroes of the financial burdens placed on them over the last five years.

To show my support to these two men and others like them I have re-recorded my song, “Hold Me Up” with Steve Wolf (Drums) and Brett Boss (Bass). The song was recorded at Monster Island Studio in New York City and engineered by Mike Caffrey. It turned out that Mike was also a responder to the 9/11 terrorist attack, something I didn’t know before booking the session. It was mixed by Jonathan Wyman and mastered at Gateway Mastering by Adam Ayan.

Please educate yourself about this issue and please support this cause by downloading 'Hold Me Up'. All proceeds from the digital download of the song will go to the FealGood Foundation.
Thank You - Paul Zunno

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The Lost Camp Of St Johnland
Video By Steve Weber

King and Steve Search for the St Johnland Camp which was located in Sunken Meadow State Park in NY until 1951. St Johnland Home was a home for children, each summer the children would walk to this rustic camp on the shores of the Long Island Sound to enjoy what nature had to offer and get away from the summer heat back in the St Johnland Home. In 1951 Sunken Meadow was expanded and the camp was disbanded and the land claimed under eminent domain by Robert Moses.
 

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Memorial Day 2008 - Kings Park
Video by Steve Weber

The theme for this year's memorial day is Kings Park is "Freedom Isn't Free". Many Americans have fought and died to insure that we have the freedoms which we all enjoy today.  Deacon John set the tone with his opening prayer: "Give us the strength not to be angry with our neighbors who may disagree with us, rather let us rejoice in the many, many freedoms you have given us." So from all the People of Kings Park, to all our Honored Veterans, Thank You.

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