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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.
 

Best Film: Ghost Story Dave Henderson Best Documentary: Forgotten Wards John Leita/Laura Cummings Best Cinematography: Lost Suburbia John Robert/Sean King Best Musical Score: Walk Down The Trax Paul Zunno Best Music Video: Go Alone Dead and Dreaming Lifetime Achievement Award: King Pedlar Filmmaker - Historian - Author - Photographer

 

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Nissequogue River State Park

Join With Your Neighbors to Build a Better Park!
To Report Illegal Activity at the NRSP:
631-669-2500

 Trespassing is not in the best interest of the Nissequogue River State Park or the People of Kings Park. Please talk to your children and let them know that exploring the buildings of the Old KPPC is not harmless fun, but a serious crime and very dangerous for you, them, the police and the people who follow.

One of the largest budget items for the Nissequogue River State Park is security, not the least of which is securing the buildings, patrolling and processing arrests. This money can be much better spent on improving park services and cleaning up the polluted areas of the park.

 

For more information on the Nissequogue River State Park
please visit the website at:

Click Here to Visit NRSP Website!

Nissequogue River State Park Manager: Vance Crippen
Email: Vance.Crippen@oprhp.state.ny.us


Please join with your friends, neighbors and co-workers to help us to make a better park for ourselves and our children.
 

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Kings Park High School 1936-1946
Restored and Edited by Stephen Weber
 

These next three video clips were restored from a few old reels of film found in the archives of the Kings Park Heritage Museum. Originally filmed by Ralph J. Osgood, these restored films are a rare look into our shared history.

 

Click Links Below to Video Video:
 

1936-1940

1939 DC Trip

WWII Years

 

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The Kings Park Asylum
Video by Darell Miron

Click Here to View Video

This film originally produced in 2004 on what was then called the "KPPC OMH Side". Mr. Miron's production is an excellent representation of the KPPC at that time which also addresses some of the boarder issues associated with patient care.

The historical clips in the beginning of the video are from the TV News Broadcast: "Willowbrook: The Last Disgrace (1972)". Darell Miron mentioned that he included the footage to highlight the conditions in which both the Psychiatric and Mentally Retarded Persons experienced in the State System as a whole.

Geraldo Rivera climbed over the walls of WillowBrook to shot that film (Peabody Award), this action was highly controversial at the time. Court cases were filed and the conditions began to change as a result of his efforts. More people may have been saved from that smart mouthed, self promoting reporter than from all the doctors in the state system.

Darell Miron is a Filmmaker and a life long resident of Kings Park. More of Mr. Miron's Films can be found on his website: Long Island Real Video.

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St. Josephs 1957 Church Dedication
Restored and Edited by Stephen Weber
 

Click Here to View Video

In 1957 the construction of  St. Josephs Church on the corner of Church Street and Old Dock Road was completed and the church was dedicated.

This video was filmed in 1957 when the church officially opened and the operations were moved from the old church to the new church which was located just a few footsteps away.

The filmmaker is unknown, but we suspect that Ralph J Osgood, the former School District Superintendent and Smithtown Town Supervisor was the camera person.
 

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Indian Head Elementary School
Video Restored and Edited by Steve Weber
 

Facing dramatic decreases in grade school enrollment due to an aging population and smaller families, the Kings Park Board of Education decided in 1979 to close Indian Head Elementary School which was located on 5th Avenue in the Miller Home Section of Kings Park. Although a necessary measure, the school was an important part of the community for many years and is missed dearly by both those who studied or worked at the school.*

Below is a video which we believe was originally filmed in the late '60s at Indian Head Elementary School. The Kings Park Fire Department would visit the school and speak to the children about fire prevention and give a demonstration of the Fire Trucks in operation. Great memories for the children, staff and firefighters.

 

Click Here to View Video

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San Remo Elementary School
Video Restored and Edited by Steve Weber
 

In January of 1988 the Kings Park District Reorganization Task Force recommended to the Board of Education that (1) that Grades 7 - 9 Junior High School be converted to a Grades 5 - 8 Middle School, (2) that grade 9 be moved from the Junior High School the the High School, (3) that San Remo Elementary School be closed and (4) that the remaining 3 Elementary Schools be converted from Grades K-6 to K-4.*

Click Here To View Video

To celebrate the history of the San Remo School and deep affection which both students and staff alike felt for the school, the San Remo Follies was organized. The video below is news coverage of the event by News12 Long Island.

Click Here To View Video

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Ride For Life!
Help The Kings Park Beat ALS!

The Event started on May 4th.  A group of ALS patients in their power wheelchairs set off from Montauk Point on the ALS Ride for Life's Eleventh Annual Journey of Hope. 

Joined by caregivers, family, friends and supporters, these patients will travel for 7 days through communities in Suffolk, Nassau, Queens and finally into Manhattan to create awareness and to raise funds for a cure for ALS, also known as Lou Gehrig's Disease.

 On Wednesday, May 7th there was a breakfast at the Kings Park High School sponsored by the Kings Park Chamber of Commerce to send the riders off to continue their journey of their efforts to raise funs to help the cure for ALS (Lou Gerhig's Disease). 

 

Click HERE to View Video
ALS Ride for Life at the Kings Park High School!

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Support the Troops! 2008 - Rally in Smithtown! The Memorial Weekend Celebration started off with the "Support The Troops" Rally in Veterans Plaza, Smithtown on Saturday May 24th, 2008. There were none of the usual political statements, just Americans coming together to show our fighting men and women in harm's way that we love them, appreciate their service and pray for their safe return. Smithtown Town Council Member Pat Biancaniello put aside her prepared remarks to read the "Veteran's Prayer" which was written by an anonymous soldier and engraved into the granite monument which stands in Veterans Plaza, Smithtown. "Do not stand at my grave and weep I am not there, I do not sleep do not stand at my grave and cry I am not there, I did not die, as long as I am in the memory of those who love me still for my legacy to you is to enjoy freedom true that is my only will." Congressman Tim Bishop reminded all that it's importation to support our troops while they are in deployed overseas, but we must also remember to support our troops when they come home. Many of our soldiers suffer catastrophic injury and post traumatic stress which will require treatment over many years. Suffolk County Legislator Lynne Nowick speaks with a Honored Veteran and offers words of appreciation and support for this soldier's sacrifice. The soldier explained that he is getting adjusted back to life back home but admits that sometimes its difficult and explains that seeing the people come together like this to support the troops makes the adjustment easier.

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2008 Veterans Plaza
Flag Dedication

The Ancient Order of Hibernians donated the flags for this year's Memorial Day Parade. The dedication ceremony for the flags were held Saturday May 17th, at Veteran's Plaza. New York State Assembly Member Mike Fitzpatrick, Suffolk County Legislator John M. Kennedy, Smithtown Town Council Member Robert Creighton, Smithtown Highway Supervisor Dan Ryan, Kings Park Chamber of Commerce President Charlie Gardner joined with the Ancient Order of Hibernians and all the people of Kings Park to dedicate this year's Veteran Plaza Flags and celebrate the contribution of all our Military Men and Woman, past and present to insure our liberty.

 

Click Here to Download Video

or

Click Here to View Video on YouTube

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Kings Park Lacrosse
1994 Alumni Game

In 1968 Leo Ostebo formed the first Kings Park Lacrosse Team. Leo had played lacrosse as a student at New England College and by his own words, "I wasn't that good, third string at best, but I enjoyed being part of the game". In addition to being a highly physical sport requiring extreme athletic conditioning, Lacrosse was and is an excellent scholarship opportunity for many students.

"We had no funding at all, we begged and borrowed our equipment. There we times we had 10 different colored helmets on the fields at one time." Pictured above, Leo went on to say..."The then Athletic Director for the high school wouldn't let us practice on the school field, so we mowed the field across the street and held our practices and games there."

"I remember all the athletes who played on the Lacrosse Teams, but some stick out more than others." Leo recalls Mike Quigley, who now is the Assistant Superintendent for Financial and Administrative Services for the School District. "Mike was a great Athlete, he ran like deer and had an excellent work ethic, but that's not why I remember him", Leo said with a grin. "He would organize team bowling tournaments the night before a game, that way he would be sure that all his teammates would be ready to play in the morning and not nursing a hangover!"

Pete Thompson, the current Kings Park Lacrosse Coach went to New England College on a full athletic scholarship for Lacrosse. "That was a thrill in and of itself, but the night I received the phone call from Pete saying that he was selected to be an "All American", well lets just say, if ever there was a tear in my eye, that was the night", Leo recalled as his voice cracked a bit.

In 1994 the Lacrosse Alumni got together for one more go-round. The video below was created by one of the teammates to remember the occasion.

Click HERE to View Video!

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Kings Park
Relay Walk For Life!
Community Helps to Fight Cancer
 

The American Cancer Society and all the People of Kings Park joined together again the year to participate in a "Relay for Life" which was held on May 30-31, 2008 at the Kings Park High School.  Relay For Life is a fun-filled overnight event designed to celebrate survivorship and raise money for research and programs of your American Cancer Society. Teams are made up of families, neighbors, students, staff, organizations, businesses and community members working together to help raise awareness and get some exercise as well.

Celebrate. Remember. Fight Back.

Pictured above Kings Park Chamber of Commerce 2007 Lifetime Community Service Honoree and Cancer Survivor Inez O'Conner warms-up with fellow cancer survivor at this year's "Relay for Life" before heading out to the Kings Park High School Track.

 

The first lap of the Relay honors cancer survivors and the entire community becomes a support group for these people. The survivors truly become the celebrities of the Relay for Life.

Leo Ostebo from the Kings Park Heritage Museum says of the event organizer and past Kings Park Chamber of Commerce Person of the Year Honoree Judy Bishop, "This is all from Judy's efforts, there are lives being saved right here today! An excellent example to our children on how to make a positive difference in our community."

Cancer deaths dropped to 553,888 in 2004, down from 556,902 in 2003 and 557,271 in 2002, according to the American Cancer Society. The down turn trend in cancer deaths appears to be accelerating. Early Detection, Reduced Cigarette Smoking Rate and New Treatment are all contributing to the increased survival rates and events like the "Relay for Life" is a critical component in this success.

 

One of the very special moments in the Relay is the Luminary Ceremony that takes place in the evening. Luminary bags are placed around the track inscribed with the names of loved ones, co-workers, friends, neighbors and family members who have lost their battle to cancer or as a way to honor a cancer survivor. As darkness falls, the candles were lit and a ceremony is conducted.

Celebrate the lives of those who have battled cancer. The strength of survivors inspires others to continue to fight. Pictured above, former San Remo Civic Association President and Cancer Survivor Roy Conforti walks first lap with fellow cancer survivors.

Tributes to loved ones lost to the disease were on display which can help with the grieving process and find healing.

Fight Back! We Relay because we have been touched by cancer and desperately want to put an end to the disease. Make a commitment to save lives by taking up the fight.

 

Click On Image Above to View