Students For 60,000 Takes Up A New Cause

Students for 60,000 gave their time to paint the homes of three families, who had all been impacted by the opioid epidemic.

By Sophia Ricco
sricco@longislandergroup.com

Northport High School’s Students for 60,000 took their first ever service trip to West Virginia, the “ground zero of the opioid epidemic,” and came back with a cause to spread.

Twenty-four Northport high shcoolers embarked on the week-long trip during February break to give their time to food pantries and youth programs, connecting with the local high school and community members struggling with addiction along the way.

Students for 60,000 was originally founded in 1987 as a club dedicated to helping the homeless. It taks its name from the 60,000 homeless in New York City at the time, and has evolved to raise money and awareness for many causes.

“The mission of the program is pretty simple, it is to help those in need,” club adviser Darryl St. George said.

Student members are exposed to local and global issues alike through education and service. Since 1992, the club has taken service trips to the village of Chacraseca, Nicaragua. They also have anonymously assisted local families in need.

“That’s one of the values to Students for 60,000, we take our students outside of the bubble of Northport,” St. George said. “We take them to parts of the world, country and locally in the community that ordinarily they wouldn’t necessarily be exposed to.”

As Nicaragua grew more unstable, St. George was tasked with selecting a new location for the club’s biannual service trip. He felt West Virginia, one of the poorest states in the country, was a good choice.

“I came up with the trip to West Virginia, understanding the need that exists there,” St. George said. “But also recognizing that on a personal level, I had lost a sibling to an overdose and the opioid epidemic is a major piece of it.”

The students took an educational hike with Keeper of the Mountains, an environmental activist organization led by Paul Corbit.

Students directly interacted with those impacted by opioid addiction in the town of Kermit, West Virginia. Hawkie, the town’s fire chief, recounted the story of finding his younger brother dead from an overdose at a potluck dinner. His message to the club: this is an issue that is only going to get worse if nothing is done.

“Something we always strive for with Students for 60,000 is the educational component, which as a teacher I have the responsibility to meet,” St. George said. “But on the other hand, there is action taking place and projects that the students are taking part in. It’s an experience that makes the learning more meaningful.”

The students had a full agenda of informational and impactful activities on the trip. They visited the Williamson Drug Treatment Center to learn about the center’s efforts, stigmas and benefits of treatment from healthcare professionals. The students then met with five women who shared personal experiences about addiction and recovery. The club then volunteered their time playing with children at an after school program, some of whom came from “heartbreaking backgrounds” and lost either one or both parents to overdoses.

“It was both inspiring and encouraging to witness the students ability to take on so many necessary tasks while simultaneously learning and quickly appreciating the need for their presence in this part of our country,” St. George said.

Students Liv Caufield and Tim DeTolla helped at the Mana Meal Soup Kitchen in West Virginia.

Returning from West Virginia, St. George reflected on the deeply poignant trip.

“My experience in West Virginia had a profound impact on my understanding of what it is to be an American,” St. George said. “We as a country right now are in a very precarious place. I think a lot of that has to do with the division in the country. If we’re gonna heal, I truly believe the answer is in this poor state, ground zero of the opioid epidemic, a place that is dismissed by both sides of the political spectrum.”

Even St. George, a military veteran who has experienced the world and personal tragedy, said he was not prepared for what he saw in West Virginia. The trip has given Students for 60,000 a “sense of urgency” to aid and raise awareness for the state.

“I can tell you with confidence, that coming home students and chaperones alike felt like we did a lot of good,” St. George said. “There was no question of why we needed to go down there, so much so that the students want to go back again.”

The community of Kermit is eager to have the club come back as well. Students for 60,000 plan to share their experiences in West Virginia at a Community Forum at the Northport Library on March 27 at 7 p.m. Club members will lead the presentation aimed at educating the community on a topic relevant to Long Island’s own substance abuse epidemic.

“We will help the community better understand what we learned and experienced there,” St. George said. “If they’re interested, we will provide them opportunities to support our mission of working in West Virginia.”

Raia To Retire At End Of Year

Town Clerk Jo-Ann Raia will retire at the end of the year after 38 years in office. Raia, pictured in the Town Records Center and Archives, counts the preservation of important town documents and artifacts archived there as one of her greatest accomplishments.

By Connor Beach
cbeach@longislandergroup.com

Huntington Town Clerk Jo-Ann Raia is ready to retire.

Raia said Wednesday she has decided not to seek reelection in November after serving 38 years in the position.

Raia said in a recent interview she still has her enthusiasm for the job, but thinks “it’s probably time to retire.”

“My mind, my brain and my enthusiasm is still there, but it’s tiring because I give my all to the job,” Raia said. “I want to have some time for myself.”

There is a chance the Raia dynasty will continue in the town clerk’s office. The Huntington Republican Committee this week tapped Andrew Raia, Jo-Ann’s son, as the party’s candidate for the job, according to committee chairman Toni Tepe.

Huntington Republican Committee tapped Assemblyman Andrew Raia as their nominee to run for Town Clerk in November.

“Andrew has had an interest in the position for a number of years, and the committee felt he was deserving on it,” Tepe said. “His mother would certainly like to hand the torch over to him.”

Andrew Raia, who currently represents the 12th district in the New York State Assembly, said his mother’s retirement and his nomination to replace her “is bittersweet for her and me.”

“As much as I enjoy being an assemblyman, I want to be a caretaker of the work she’s done, and I’m looking forward to carrying on her tradition of public service,” he said.

As the son of Huntington’s longest serving town clerk, the younger Raia said he remembers discussing his mother’s job with her over the family dinner table.

“I literally have been exposed to every aspect of the town clerk’s office for 38 years,” he said.

Jo-Ann Raia said she is happy her son decided to run for her position.

“I know I can’t be here forever,” she said with a laugh. She had to make her retirement decision sooner than she would have liked because recent changes in New York State election law moved up the time for candidates to file nominating petitions from summer to the beginning of April.

In her nearly four decades as town clerk, Jo-Ann Raia said one of her proudest accomplishments has been the establishment of the record center and archives at town hall. She suggested she might even volunteer to help out with the archives after she retires.

“It took a tremendous amount of effort, and as a result we have a state-of-the-art facility that has received numerous honors,” she said. “It’s been my passion to preserve the town’s history.”

The town clerk also praised the skill of her staff and hoped her successor would look to them to help expand on what she has accomplished.

Jo-Ann Raia said she is “very melancholy” about her impending retirement and will miss the town board meetings, fire department instillation dinners and other community events; although, she has 38 years worth of keepsakes to remind her of the impact she’s had on the Huntington community.

“I love serving the residents of Huntington,” she said. “Based on all the thank you letters I’ve received over the years I feel that I’m doing a good job.”

GOP Names Candidates For Local Election

Councilman Ed Smyth, Andre Sorrentino, Councilman Eugene Cook, Cheryl Helfer, Hector Gavilla, Garrett Chelius, Town Clerk Jo-Ann Raia and Huntington Republican Committee Chairman Toni Tepe gather for the announcement for the GOP’s candidates for town elections. Photo/Huntington Republican Committee

By Connor Beach
cbeach@longislandergroup.com

The Huntington Republican Committee announced earlier this week the slate of GOP candidates for local elections in November.

Chairman Toni Tepe confirmed Wednesday the committee had named candidates for Suffolk Legislature, Town Board and Town Clerk.

Legislator Robert Trotta, of Fort Salonga, was tapped to run for reelection in the 13th Legislative District, which includes the eastern portion of the Town of Huntington. Trotta has served in the position since 2014.

Trotta had expressed interest in running for County Executiveagainst Democratic incumbent Steve Bellone, but Tepe said the committee has endorsed Republican John Kennedy. Kennedy has served as Suffolk Comptroller since 2015.

The Republicans have chosen Hector Gavilla to challenge Democratic incumbent Susan Berland in the 16th District. Gavilla, of Dix Hills, ran an unsuccessful campaign against Berland for the seat in 2017.

Garrett Chelius, of Lloyd Harbor, was selected to run against Democratic incumbent and veteran legislator William “Doc” Spencer in the 18th District.

The GOP’s candidates for Huntington Town Board include incumbent Gene Cook and first-time candidate Andre Sorrentino.

Cook, of Greenlawn, an Independence Party member, was first elected to the town board in 2011, and also ran on the Republican line in his previous two campaigns for town board.

Sorrentino, of Huntington, currently serves as the town’s director of general services. He was appointed to the position in February 2018. Sorrentino is also the co-owner of Huntington-based PAS Professional Automotive Services.

Sorrentino and Cook will face Democratic incumbent Joan Cergol. Cergol was first appointed to the town board in December 2017, ran a successful campaign for a one-year term last November.

Tepe said the committee has not decided on a candidate to run for Huntington Receiver of Taxes against Democratic incumbent Jillian Guthman. A Republican candidate for the position will be named in the coming days, according to Tepe.

Tepe also said Assemblyman Andrew Raia has been tapped to run for town clerk against Democratic candidate Simon Saks. Raia’s mother and currently Town Clerk Jo-Ann Raia decided recently she would not seek reelection after 38 years in the position.

The Republicans have also tapped Cheryl Helfer to run for District Court Judge.