Babylon Town Supervisor Rich Schaffer and Councilwoman Jacqueline Gordon recently joined with Deputy Supervisor Tony Martinez, Town Clerk Carol Quirk and Receiver of Taxes Corinne DiSomma to congratulate student essay contest winners at the Town’s annual Veterans Awareness Week Kick-Off ceremony. Seven students from local elementary and middle schools were selected as winners of the contest, which focused on celebrating our veterans. Gift cards to Target of varying increments were awarded to the winners depending on where they placed.
Councilwoman Gordon, who is a retired Lieutenant Colonel in the United States Army Reserves, hosted the event, which was held at Town Hall in Lindenhurst and served to honor our nation’s service-members and recognize the sacrifices that they and their families have made. Joining local veterans, community members and Town officials in attendance were New York State Senator Phil Boyle, Assemblyman Robert Sweeney and Suffolk County Legislator Kevin McCaffrey.
Veterans Awareness Week is sponsored by the Town of Babylon’s Veterans’ Advisory and Steering Council Committees in conjunction with the Assemblyman Sweeney’s Office and the Babylon Town Board. For more information on veterans’ events and services, visit www.townofbabylon.com or contact Councilwoman Gordon’s Office at (631) 957-3127.
The essay contest winners are pictured in front from left to right: Jaclyn Sherrill, 1st Place from Robert Moses Middle School in North Babylon; Sean Gordon, 1st Place from Albany Avenue Elementary School in Lindenhurst; Kayla Doering, 2nd Place from Albany Avenue Elementary School in Lindenhurst; MaKayla Schmidt, 3rd Place from Park Avenue Memorial School in Amityville; Sofiya Pashnyak, 3rd Place from Albany Avenue Elementary School in Lindenhurst; and Lucas Schell, Honorable Mention from South Bay Elementary School in West Babylon. Behind them are Assemblyman Sweeney; Receiver of Taxes DiSomma; Senator Boyle; Robert Romano of the Veterans Advisory & Steering Council; Tom Ronayne of the Suffolk County Veterans Service Agency; Jack Maxwell of the Northport VA Medical Center; Joe Ingino of the Veterans Advisory & Steering Council; Legislator McCaffrey; Town Clerk Carol Quirk; Councilwoman Gordon; Supervisor Schaffer and Deputy Supervisor Martinez.