Welcome to the June 2023 Issue of HixNews!
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Where Are They Now
This month, we bring you a “fun” article about Giedré Kumpikas’s deep-seated affection for cars. If you attended Hicksville High (or in some cases, the Junior High) between 1962 and the 1990s, "Miss Kumpikas" may have taught you French, Latin, German, or even English Literature.
Background
Although this column is meant to offer our readers a post-Hicksville glimpse of a past teacher or administrator, in this case, it makes sense to begin with some pre-Hicksville background about Dr. Kumpikas.
- She was born in Lithuania, early in WW II. The sounds of bombing raids still rank high in her childhood memories (she said in a 2020 interview that the sound of routine noonday sirens still make her cringe).
- Her family was on the run from warfare and marauding armies until 1944, at which time it had made its way west through the war to an Allied-controlled portion of Germany, and was given refuge in a “Displaced Persons" camp.
- They remained in the refugee camp for FIVE YEARS, until the summer of 1949, when they were able to get visas to the U.S.
- They then started a new life from scratch in Williamsburg, Brooklyn – coincidentally, in the same immigrant neighborhood, and in the same primitive tenements, in which my own immigrant grandparents had settled more than 50 years earlier.
What has she done after leaving Hicksville?
- She continued -- and continues -- to teach! She is a Full Professor (Adjunct) at LIU/Post, where she’s now in her 25th year.
- She produces (and in the past hosted more than 1,000 weekly broadcasts of) a New York radio show that addresses the needs of Lithuanian-Americans and their descendants.
- Several years ago, Dr. Kumpikas produced an award-winning short film, in part filmed on-site in the Czech Republic and Lithuania, that documented her father’s 1934 flight over Nazi Germany from Prague to Vilnius (he was a celebrated early Lithuanian pilot).
- She serves, and sometimes heads, non-profit organizations that help and guide new immigrant Lithuanian families as they find their way in America. These organizations also promote awareness of Lithuanian culture and arts, providing Lithuanian Americans with a link to their ancestral past. In recognition of her work, Lithuania has honored her at a ceremony in Vilnius.
Where does she like to spend her time?
- Early summers often are spent in France, visiting long-time friends. Her passion for the French language and the attendant culture in which it flourishes, which I first observed as her student n 1962, continues unabated.
- She also visits Lithuania, where she lives in the apartment that was her family's pre-war residence! Well... not exactly. During the Soviet era, the government of the day broke the dweilling into smaller flats. After Lithuania regained independence, Giedré purchased one of those flats, and much later was able to purchase the remainder. She then had contractors re-consolidate the units, and restore the rooms to their original configuration, so that her family apartment exists once again.
- During the academic year, she’s mostly around New York City, or in the Hamptons. I last saw her in person in 2019, at the 55th reunion of “my” HHS Class of 1964.
Where Are They Now
The following is a reprint of an article in Bridges, March 2022 by Giedré Kumpikas, former teacher at Hicksville High School.
My Love For Cars
To grow up in America and not love cars is un-American. The beauty of the lines, the colors, the mechanics, the 8-cylinder horsepower, the tires, black or white walls, or red, or gold. Cars have played a major role in the events of my life and have furnished a backdrop for it. Growing up in the ’50s and ’60s, I admired the sleekness of the convertible Ford Thunderbird, the majestic Cadillac, the luxurious Buick Riviera, the custom-made design of the Pontiac, and, of course, the ultimate American sports car - the Chevrolet Corvette. The Mustang made its appearance later and soon became the car of choice for young people. Being picked up in front of my high school by my teenage boyfriend in his 1953 Corvette, to the envy of my girlfriends, was a thrill. It was straight out of “Grease” or “Rebel Without a Cause.” A boy with a nice car was a great feather in a girl’s cap. My next young man had a 1959 Chevrolet Impala - it was red, with a blue interior and bench seats. Couples could sit close together, frequently with the young man’s right arm around his girl, steering with his left arm. There were Drive-In Movie Theaters, and “Submarine Watching,” and malts at a CarHop. The bucket seats put a stop to that togetherness. Those cars had personality. They were all different, all unique. There were turquoise cars, gold cars, blue, green, yellow, red, even pink cars, and cars with fins. It was romantic. Today’s cars are boring - boxy, gray, black, shades of brown, and white. They are indistinct from one another. Somewhere along the way, they lost their dazzle and became more “practical, more aerodynamic.”
I remember, at one summer youth camp, speeding on a country road in Michigan with a very handsome young man I had just met in his sleek, black 1958 Ford Fairlane Skyliner convertible blasting "Green Onions" by Booker T. & the M.G.'s. We were young, carefree and the car was fast. There was no thought of danger, just the thrill of the ride and being with someone I liked very much. Summer days; beautiful cars; exciting music. Elvis Presley was singing "It's Now or Never" and that became my song, forever associated with that wonderful summer.
My curiosity about mechanical things began at a very early age, not to speak of one morning announcing to my mother “I swallowed that.” Alarmed, my mother asked, “What?” I showed her a lamp from which I had unscrewed a screw and swallowed it. I was around three. My first experience in a car was at the age of two or two and a half in Lithuania. My father had me sit in his car, a stately consular Buick, and told me not to stick my little finger into the cigarette lighter, which, of course, I did, with the predictable results.
In Germany, as refugees having fled from the Communists, we were living in the English Occupation Zone near Kiel. My father used to take me for rides on his Harley. I would sit in front of him, his arms around me, holding me tight. I was only four, but I felt the excitement even then. Ever since, I have loved Harleys. For me, they are the only motorcycle. My mother told me that my father would take her for a ride on his motorcycle while still in Lithuania, but she would sit in a sidecar. When the war ended, he obtained a DKW, a type of small truck, from a German lady, who gave it to him because she said that the English would confiscate it anyway. We drove south with it to the French Zone. It was a nice little truck with a canvas top, but it did break down in Karlsruhe on the way. To this day, I still like the smell of oil and gasoline and remember my father filling the gas tank, repairing the tubes in the tires. He repaired the little truck, and we did make it south to Tübingen. While there, he would take us on trips to the Black Forest, where he went wild boar hunting with some friends, while my mother and I sat in the truck, quite frightened, as we saw the wild boar rushing past us. We also drove to the Bodensee, on the border of Switzerland; we saw the source of the great Danube, which was a tiny stream in the mountains of the Black Forest; and once even drove up to the Principality of Liechtenstein to visit the castle of Prince Urach. The Princess of Liechtenstein held my hand as we walked around the castle grounds and visited the rooms, some with fantasy decorations of gnomes and goblins. One day we got stuck in a pelting rain on a forest road and while waiting for the rain to stop, we heard the haunting sound of a gypsy violin emanating from a caravan nearby deep in the forest.
It seemed mystical and unreal. That little truck stayed with us for five years until we left for the United States.
Our first American car was a 1936 white Ford. I did not like it at the time because it looked so old-fashioned, smallish. I was embarrassed when my father used to pick me up in school. Now, I think of it fondly. It too took us on exploratory trips to Bear Mountain, Greenwood Lake, Lake George, on many Sundays to Prospect Park - places where new immigrants used to go on weekends. I must also mention, Putnam, Connecticut, the Convent of the Sisters of the Immaculate Conception, a summer meeting ground for our new arrivals, as well as Kennebunkport, Maine, the Franciscan Monastery, another Lithuanian vacation spot. Having a car meant so much. It gave us freedom and a semblance of normalcy.
When I was fifteen my father bought a newer car, a 1950 Chevrolet. It was dark blue, longer than the Ford, and had rounded fenders. My driving lessons began. There were winter months of practice in the Rockaway and Riis Park parking lots. My father was a strict teacher, having driven diplomats in Lithuania. He always said, “Drive smoothly, not jerkily, so that people do not spill their drinks. And do not brake abruptly. Smooth and easy.” After a few months of practice, I asked him to let me drive our ’50 Chevy with three on the column. One down, two up, three down. For those who only know how to drive automatic cars, three on the column meant it was a standard shift. I was good. I could shift without a problem - step on the clutch, balance the gas, and go. As I drove on Atlantic Avenue in Brooklyn, in heavy city traffic for the first time, I could see that my father was nervous, but I was a naturally good driver. Nonetheless, ever since then, my father said that I was a cowboy behind the wheel.
Next came what has become an American classic - a 1957 Chevrolet Bel-Air. It was a beautiful car - turquoise, with a lot of chrome. My parents and I used to go to a secluded beach called Plum Beach, where I learned to fish and swim. Later, I used to drive it to Rockaway Beach on weekends, because I was such a sun worshipper. It was dependable and ran for a long time until my father sold it to a Polish diplomat, who kept it for many years as well.
My first car was a brand new, white 1962 Pontiac Catalina with red bench seats. I was so proud of that car. It floated, long and elegant. I bought it the first year when I started working. It cost $3,000. As soon as I bought it, I suddenly had so many friends. My cousin warned me not to become a chauffeur, but everyone wanted to ride in it. To break it in slowly, my parents drove it out to Montauk Point, at the very end of Long Island, where it seems that all the waters of the world converge and pound wildly against the rocks. My mother said that it had been a beautiful ride for the two of them. I was happy about that.
I drove that car cross country with a friend and saw so many beautiful sights - the Grand Canyon, the Painted Desert, the Petrified Forest, the Sequoias, Crystal Cave - its pitch-black darkness frightened me terribly. A spelunker I was not. We saw Indians still living in mountainside caves. At one point, we were close to running out of gas on a hilly desert road with no gas station in sight, when suddenly, as we reached a rise, as if by magic, a small rusty gas station appeared almost like a mirage. A real desert person came toward us, and, I asked prayerfully, “Do you have gas?” He answered, “Sure do, Miss.” I loved those soulful, simple people we encountered on the road. America is a wonderful place to explore and see. The variety of flora and fauna and people is extraordinary, but you need a car to feel the full impact of its vastness and beauty.
I learned so much from my father about cars, their maintenance and care. Since I was always rushing towork in the morning - my teaching classes began at 8 A.M. - my caring father would get up in the morning and sit in my cold car to warm it up. I wonder how many fathers do that for their daughters?
In the meantime, my father bought a 1966 Pontiac Le Mans. He was so very happy with that car. It was a beautiful gold car, but unlucky. One day while it was parked in the lot where he worked, a milk truck toppled over and crushed the roof.
Thankfully my father was not in it. He did not want to repair it, because he was superstitious. He sold it and the new owners repaired it and even came by to show it to him. It made him sad to see his beautiful car drive away. He replaced it with another Pontiac, a 1966 four-door red Tempest sedan with a powerful motor. He used to call it his “junk” car because it was second-hand.
I kept my beautiful white Catalina for nine years and then decided to change. My father and I went to Myrtle Motors on Fresh Pond Road, and I ordered a yellow Firebird with a white interior. When the time came to pick it up, I went with my mother. She took one look at the car and said that it looked like an egg yolk and that she would not let me buy it! The salesman was upset because it was a custom order, but then we saw a beautiful car on the lot, it was a Pontiac GTO, Palomino Copper in color, a two-door coupe. My mother said, ‘Now that is the car for you.’ The salesman tried to dissuade us, saying the car had too much power for a young girl. It had a 455 c.i.d. (cubic inch displacement) motor and 360 HP. My mother, unperturbed, answered, “You don’t have to use it, but it is good to know that you have it.” Impeccable logic. I loved and still love that car. It took me cross-country, over the hills of Pennsylvania, the valleys of Nebraska, the mountains of Utah, the deserts of Nevada and New Mexico, and through dense fog and rain in Wyoming to California and back to New York. It is a classic muscle car, pure Americana.
On my way from San Francisco to Los Angeles to take the southern route back to New York, as I was driving with a friend, accompanied by another friend in a second car, suddenly my GTO came to a dead stop! We were in the middle of a desert. This was before cell phones. What to do? I sent my two friends in the second car for help. As I was standing on that desert highway all alone, I tucked my jewelry under my sleeves and prayed. Hardly any cars drove by. I saw a group of Hell’s Angels riding by in the distance in the opposite direction. The sun was beginning to set. A man stopped by in an El Camino and looked at the motor but could not help. He drove away. It was getting darker and darker. Finally, my friend arrived with a tow truck. The other friend was told at a gas station that her differential was leaking. It was an old scam from which I had escaped in Utah, but she was alone and fell for it. They changed her shocks, which had nothing to do with the differential. I was so happy to reach New York, and I was probably the only person ever to smile upon seeing the traffic jam by the Holland Tunnel.
In between, in 1980, I had an accident with my GTO. The city was repairing Madison Avenue, and I hit a raised manhole cover and smashed the oil pan. My poor car. But I refused to give it up and repaired it. While it was in the shop, I needed a car. Someone had a non-running Pontiac Firebird sitting in their parking lot. It looked dilapidated, unpainted, and did not run. I bought it for $200, put in a battery, had it painted blue for $99, but did not fix the muffler. It became known as my “Demolition Derby” car because I would roar into the school parking lot where I was a teacher. Once my GTO was repaired, I sold it to a student. I wish I had kept it, but I was running out of room in the garage.
I drove my GTO for nineteen years until I decided that I needed a more practical automobile for work. I also wanted to preserve the GTO; it had served me so well and faithfully. So, I chose a 1989 beautiful white Pontiac Bonneville four-door sedan. Once again, it was luxurious, smooth, easy riding, and exceptionally comfortable. Although it was a conservative car, it was stolen right from my driveway within one year. The police found it with all four doors missing. I suspected that the company that picked it up and replaced the doors (which turned out to be water damaged, because they corroded after one year), was dishonest, because the directors were fined, some of the managers went to jail, and the company went bankrupt. My mother loved my Bonneville because it was so comfortable and spacious. And I still have it as well. Memories. We used to drive it to East Hampton and back in one day, about 200 miles, and never felt fatigued. I drove it to Niagara Falls and to Montréal and Québec City, and to the beautiful Basilica of Ste. Anne-de-Beaupré. in 1990, someone convinced me to buy the ultimate American sports car - a Corvette. I found a listing in New Jersey for a 1987 Corvette, drove to look at it, and there it was - a magnificent, shining red beauty. I was dazzled by it and took it for a test drive. It was a powerful car, 8 cylinders with a 350 H.P. engine. But since I had grown up with 8-cylinder cars, I was not intimidated. I bought it two days later and at sunset, as I drove home overthe George Washington Bridge with the Targa top removed, I felt the complete freedom and exuberance that only a magnificent machine can give.
By 2005, one of my friends criticized my Bonneville, not only criticized but insulted it, because she had a new Japanese car. I became angry and thought of what would be the most annoying car to buy to show off? I drove around and did not find anything to my liking, but then I stepped into a Mercedes Benz. I fell in love with the E350. It had a white exterior and a pale beige interior. It looked so very elegant. A Mercedes is a Mercedes. You can feel and see the quality in the moldings, the comfortable seats, the details, all so very fine. I bought a 2006, and suddenly, some other people in my circle of acquaintances began buying that very same car.
My latest car, I prefer not to say last, is a 2019 Jeep Cherokee. I like the name “Cherokee” because since my arrival here in the United States as a small D.P. (Displaced Persons) child, I became fascinated with American Indian, rather Native American, culture. I used to read books about the Indians, learned the names of the ponies they rode, like “piebald.” And I always commiserated with them for the loss of their land, perhaps, because we Lithuanians had also been subjugated periodically by outside nations. The entire folklore of cowboys and Indians, the prairie, the “noble savage” theme so popular in the 18th century, fascinated me. Perhaps it was pure romanticism on my part, but my Cherokee is a tough car. It goes through snow and slush and sand and ice, and it gives me security.
So, I come to the end of my saga of my love for cars. I have six, yes six. I forgot to mention that on one of my trips to Lithuania I bought a 1996 BMW 523. It was only one of the four automatic cars on a lot of hundreds. Most people in Lithuania drive cars with manual transmission because they are more economical, and gas is very expensive in Europe. As of this writing, we are quickly catching up to high gas prices. But it is not in the American character to give up gas-driven cars. Perhaps, we shall be forced to do so one day, but the love for speed and power is inherent in this culture.To me, the car is a 20th-century American art form - powerful and beautiful. I have loved all my cars, but most of all, I love my GTO.
Reprinted from Comet Newspaper Spring 2023
By Daiwik Uppal
On April 22, 2023, in the Charles "Chuck" Arnold Auditorium, an adventurous and enthusiastic crowd and a night of amazing music commenced. Hicksville High School Alumni Foundation hosted their annual concert of Dr. K's Motown Revue as a fundraiser. This fundraiser and foundation help to raise money for high school scholarships, and worthy community causes that benefit young people. Proceeds from ticket sales and raffles contributed to this fundraiser. Hicksville High School's Horn and String Ensemble and other clubs helped with performances and backstage.
A big thanks to Dr. K's Motown Revue, consisting of the lead vocalists Natasha Thomas, Nirvana Lucie, Pat Lewis, Ivery Bell, and Kevin Keys. The musicians included Gregg Schleich, Roge Byam, Harold Lee, Wayne Cobham, Paul Korman, Wayne Jeffrey, and Craig Stewart.
Hicksville High School's very own jazz band and string ensemble members also played with Dr. K's Motown Revue, which brought another level of pride and fun to the evening. Hicksville High School supported the concert as clubs and students attended to help out.
Click here to download the Playbill Program from the event.
My Memory Of Farmers Market
My Memory Of Farmers Market
- Details
- Susan Schuler Nolan, Class of 1977
- Category: Favorite Memories
- Hits: 947
One of my favorite places growing up as a child in Hicksville was the Farmer’s Market.
It meant time spent riding the carousel, mugging in the Fun House mirror, and watching “The Three Stooges” with my older sister. All while our parents would shop. It meant eating fresh grapes, chocolate pops, and cinnamon babka. All were surrounded by the sights and smells of fresh vegetables, sawdust, and barrels of pickles. It was an exotic place where you could meet neighbors and friends on a Friday night. A true suburban bazaar.
When I became older, it was the perfect place to meet up with friends or take a date. There was always something to see and folks to socialize with. There were the unique characters who were regulars there - the men in the fruit stands shouting out to the crowd, the glass blower, the tailor, the Electrolux salesman. The man who did paintings on velvet. The pet shop owner with puppies and kittens. At Eastertime, there would be chicks and bunnies. Everyone seemed to come to the Farmer’s Market at some point. And you never knew what you might find. I remember a friend, thinking he had come across fresh honeycomb for sale in a case, asked for a quarter pound. He said he liked to chew it raw. Luckily the salesman, a butcher, pointed out the “Honeycomb” was indeed Honeycomb Tripe. We all had a good laugh. You never knew what you might find there. It was truly unique.
Submitted Jun 09, 2023 by Susan Shuler Nolan
Farmers Market Now!
What’s there now: There is still shopping taking place on that large site in Bethpage. Just not as eclectic and exciting as it used to be.
Gone is the carousel, the free kiddie movies, and the sawdust on the floor. In its place is another sterile Lowe's. You may get your shopping done and might even encounter a neighbor from time to time, but it is all quite predictable and standard. None of the distinctive personalities and unusual sights and smells that made the Farmer’s Market the special place it once was.
Thomas Connolly's Future
Tommy Connolly loves thinking about the future. It excites him and drives his research as to what tomorrow may bring. Tommy’s inner drive first showed itself in the 1960’s and 1970’s with the advent of cable television and the idea of pay-per-view. The concept intrigued him. This fascination led him to Bell Labs and the power of glass (fiber optics) vs coaxial cable to handle the ever-growing array of television/cable channels and the larger and larger digital files. The internet was the logical next step for Tommy’s focus. From here, he dove into wireless communications and the burgeoning demand of mobility. Researching and advising media and entertainment companies on the impacts of technological innovations became his livelihood. The introduction of Bitcoin in 2008 and Tommy’s interest in the concept of Blockchains came into focus for him in 2014/2015. His passion drove his commitment to understanding and projecting the power of this invention. Tommy’s eight-year journey into Blockchain, Bitcoin, and Crypto Assets has led him to conclude that this is one of the greatest inventions of the last century. He wants you to join him on this ride to the future.
Growing up in Hicksville, Long Island
By Tommy Connolly (Hicksville High School Class of '74)
Wonderful walks in the mind through life of being a Hicksvillian........
Coming out of Elementary School, Burns Ave for me, we all entered the Hicksville Junior High School with 3,000 students. Coming into that environment was very intimidating given the small and nurturing time in our individual lower schools. WOW, how do I navigate this beast was the feeling swirling inside me. For me, it was to retreat into a shell, to become quiet and shy, a bit of an observer of all that is new. Like all of us, I learned. By ninth grade I was back to being me, a person with a personal identity, a feel for how I fit in, yet still searching.
Entering HHS was eye opening. I was now part of something different. This was serious. This was about finding how the future would be defined, how I, how we, would define the future. I had a voice. We all had a voice.
I marched down Broadway protesting the Vietnam War. That was not easy. I asked my father for approval, to skip school to march in an anti-war protest. He set one requirement: I go to church that morning before the march. I went. It was a funeral service. It resonated…………and I marched, and I understood why I was marching.
I fell in love while in HHS. I made love for the first time while in HHS. I felt things inside that I never knew were possible. I hold them dear to this day, and I will always love the woman who loved me back as we both came to understand the wonder of discovery, the sharing of innocence, the beauty of believing that there is no one in the world who is more important than the person who shares love and life with you.
I experienced a diverse life at HHS. I was friends with everyone. I laughed with the jocks who played football and ran track. I marveled at the friends who had the courage to step on stage and perform. I smoked cigarettes with a regular crew between classes outside the doors to the playing fields. I watched my free-spirit friends experiment with drugs like pot and acid. I drank beer. I cut classes and wrote excuse notes by forging my mom’s signature. I went to my first concert, Led Zeppelin, at Nassau Coliseum, I failed the Trig Regents final because the clock in the room was an hour ahead, and I thought the exam was over before it really was, handed in my exam, walked home feeling despondent, my friend Jeff Visco driving his car sees me walking and comes to get me. He asks, “What are you doing here, I thought you were taking the Trig exam”, and I said it was over, I ran out of time. He looked at his watch and then at me, and told me what time it was………………….I jumped in his car, and we sped back to HHS. I begged the Assistant Principal to let me finish the exam, Mr. Jaworski, I believe. He said it was too late………Summer school…..I never went, just showed up for the exam, and passed.
Ahh, Drivers Ed……….What a fun time. Jeff Visco taught me how to drive, with an assist from my mom. Our gym teacher was the Driver Ed instructor. He saw quickly I could drive, and told me to not show up anymore as the car was crowded. I showed up on the day of the DMV test at HHS, and used a Driver Ed car, and it went perfectly until the end when the evaluator told me to make a right turn and go back to the school. I signaled right, I gave the right-hand signal, and turned LEFT!!!!!! I think I drove like my dad from there back to the gym lot, with a carefree control that exuded competence, even skill. Why, I am not sure, but he passed me, and I had my Driver’s license. Oh, I also had my Draft card…………
I missed our Prom, as the girl I Loved went to Division Avenue High School in Levittown. We went to her Prom, and our Prom night was spent driving to the Poconos where we, another couple, and her aunt and uncle, had a weekend celebrating our Senior year, our new adulthood, that will remain special for me for the rest of my life.
Oh, laughing a bit here, for there was a student who I shared homeroom with. She was beautiful to me, and I thought she had the best legs in all of HHS. One day I told her that I watched her everyday with such a deep male appreciation for how magnificent her legs were. No intent on my part, just a desire to compliment. She smiled and told me she never knew…………… I told my girlfriend about this, innocently, and was surprised when I felt the jealous monster emerge from her. So I did the next best thing. I lied. I told her the girl in my class was ugly, but had nice legs, and I was being encouraging. Whew, I escaped……….at least I did until one day we drove to Mid-Island Shopping Plaza, and we entered the mall through the store “Learners”. As we walked through, I heard a voice call out, Tom, Tom…..we stopped. And beautiful legs comes walking over, a sales person in Learners, if only I knew, and my girlfriend walked away……when I caught up to her somewhere deep in the mall, all she would say was “Ugly Huh”….”pimples huh”…..as fire shot from her eyes………a lesson learned.
I worked at Baskin-Robbins on Broadway, took care of my penniless friends, ate pizza for lunch with Bobby Fulgham, played football for St. Ignatius, drove a 1965 Mustang, smoked Parliaments and Marlboros, drank Heineken, played handball and ice skated at Cantiague Park, wolfed down Whoppers at Burger King on Hempstead Turnpike, and Tacos at Jack in the Box. I caddied at Tam O’Shanter Country Club, delivered newspapers for the Long Island Press, and fished as often as I could in Bayville/Centre Island. Growing up in Hicksville was magical.
I loved HHS. It was my base from which to go forward. I remember so many of you and know I experienced something very special there. I carry it with me to this day……and will never let it go. Hicksville, and Hicksville High School, gave me the base from which to grow, and I hold that time dear in my heart forever.
The following was republished from the August 2022 article.
Hicksville Vietnam War Era Memorial Dedication Ceremony
Overview By John Tranchina - HHS 1964
Memorial Day 2022 - It was though a burden was lifted from the community after months of isolation from friends, neighbors and family, as a result of Covid restrictions. As dawn emerged the eastern sky was a clear light blue.
Spectators and participants gathered on the lawn of the Middle School to pay tribute to those who fell in combat over past and recent years. The various monuments at the Memorial Garden represent not only the fallen but past residents of the community who served this country in times of conflict.
Some of the monuments are specific to the Fallen and others are to Compliment the Community members who served either by volunteering or by conscription to serve. The Vietnam War Era Memorial represents both the living and fallen, who lived in Hicksville between 1962 and 1975.
The gathering at the Middle School started with a parade led by Hicksville's American Legion, members of the H.H.S. Marching Band, followed by various community organizations to include the H.F.D. Fire Fighters, H.F.D. Jr. Fire Fighters and Marching Band, paid for by the H.F.D. for the occasion.
The Vietnam War Era Memorial was presented and dedicated by Tommy Sullivan (Class of 1963) and was received well. I have received positive feedback from members of the community in regard to the overall effort of The Memorial Team, its construction and appearance of the monument and placement in the garden site.
Thanks to all of the people that Tommy Sullivan highlighted in his Memorial Day Presentation for answering my calls and coming up with good solutions and suggestions which made it easier to move forward with the project.
John(Jay) Tranchina
HHS Class of 1964
Dedication Ceremony Speech - Tommy Sullivan - HHS 1963
Vietnam Memorial Dedication Part 1 (pdf) | Vietnam Memorial Dedication Part 2 (pdf) | Vietnam Memorial Dedication Part 3 (pdf) |
Dedication Ceremony Captioned Photos
Vietnam War Era Memorial shown on Memorial Day 2022 as part of Hicksville's Memorial Park;
being Celebrated by The Vietnam Veterans of America Honor Guard.
Close up of Vietnam War Era Memorial on Dedication Ceremony Day
Joe Platt, HHS Grad & Largest Single Donor to Vietnam Memorial Fund, with Jay Tranchina,
Committee Member who oversaw Memorial Construction.
Tommy Sullivan, Dedication Ceremony Speaker & MC, with attending HHS graduates
Tommy Sullivan with Jay Tranchina & Mike Melody
Original Dedication Stone for Hicksville's Veterans Memorial Park
View of WW II Memorial on Memorial Day 2022
Other Memorials within Hicksville's Veterans Memorial Park
Additional view of Memorial Gardens during Dedication Ceremony.
Memorial Day Parade Band and attendees during Memorial Day 2022 Ceremonies
This project began 15 years ago with roughly 150 names for the Memorial and was expanded to over 1,900 names when the Memorial was built. A Special Thank You goes to Adrienne Dolgin, a Hicksville alumna, who spent countless hours behind the scenes, with the help of the Hicksville Public Library staff, combing old microfilm articles for new names and details.
Also, a Very Special Thank You to our entire Memorial Committee, who contributed names for the Memorial, along with various ideas and other help. In addition to the above mentioned alumni and this writer, they include; Bob Casale, Joe Ingino, Terry Wallace and two members, who unfortunately did not live to see the Memorial built; Carl Probst and Tony Plonski.
We also could not have accomplished this Project without the dedicated help and support of the HixNews editorial staff, for whom we are especially grateful.
Further information on the disposition of names submitted for the Memorial after its construction, along with plans for the final donation of any remaining funds to worthy Veteran's causes, will be published in future issues of HixNews.
On behalf of the Project Team,
Joe Carfora
HHS 1962
A heartfelt Thank You to all of our donors to the
Hicksville Vietnam Era Memorial Project!!
Through June, 2022, 223 donors have enabled us to achieve a donation total of $41,503!!
Following is the current list of donors: Ackerman, Dr. Helen R. Andersen, Chris Anglim, Tim & Barbara Annucci, Dianne C. Arroyo, Ann & Frank Babenzien, Suzon (Cohen) Backman, Stephan Baum, Steve & Diane Bedell, Don & Janice Beltrani, Frank & Frances Bemberis, Ivars & Jeannette Bergholtz, Janet Berlenbach, Jr., John & Betty Bernett Family Best, Theresa & Joseph Birk, Robert Bocchiere, Anthony J., Jr. Boris, Joan & Joseph Brigandi, Arleen Brophy, Donald R. Brophy, Michael (In Memory) Budinich, Patricia & Richard Burke, John & Lois Calandrillo, Anthony Callejas, Ruben & Aramilda Canham, William & Rita Carey, Daniel, Jr. Carfora, Joe & Sharon Ann Carfora, Santo & Jeanne Casale, Robert Castagna, Denise & Anthony Catanzariti, Gregory & Anne Chiappone, Dolores & Robert Cheeseman, Robert & Lorraine Christianson, Donald & Kathryn Cohen, Dr. Howard Colasuonno, Steven Connelly, Linda Convery, Harold Corley, Karen Costello, William & Karren Cowell, Paul Cronin, Christopher & Patricia Cuoco, Gail Cullen, Michael Dantuono, Diana & Cousins, Pete Davis, Angela & Steve Davis, Cheryl (Proffe) & William Degnan, Ryan & Karyn Degnan, Shawn & Robyn Degnan, Walter & Karen Delaney, Robert Dethlefsen, Barbara (Bieniewicz) Dinora, Rose (Schweitzer) Dolan, James & Maryann Dunne, Patrick & Barbara Dyckman, Johanna (LoGerfo) & William Faraone, Ed Feinsilver, Rhona Appelman Fernbach, Stephen & Nancy Fippinger, Gary & Karen Fischer, Frederick & Barbara Fishman, Sheila Florio, Paulette Foster, Pete Fox, John & Joan Frassanito, Elena Marie Fulco, Philip & Valerie Fuchs, Michael Furgiuele, Peter & Martha Galke, Douglas & Mary Gallo, Francis & Frances Gavin, Thomas Germain, Joseph & Diane Germain, Michael & Elizabeth Giaccaglia, Susan Giannelli, Edward & Angela Gill, Thomas & Margaret Gordon, Eve Gowrie, Karen Guiliano, John & Barbara Hansen, Hugh Happel, Neal & Helen Healey, Laura Marie Hearon, Charles & Cathie Hearon, Philip Hellrigel, Thomas & Victoria Hemger, Marguerite & Thomas Henningsen, Charles & Charla Herfel, Paul Jr. & Alcira HFD Hook & Ladder Company 1 HHS Class of 1967 Hicksville Class of 1965 Reunion Hicksville Fire Department Hicksville High Fundraiser, 4/15/16 & 4/19 (cash donations) Hicksville High School Alumni Foundation Hicksville High School Student Government Hicksville Veterans Association/VFW Hicksville Veterans Memorial Committee Hilton, Patricia & William Hoffer, Richard & Patricia Huber, Gene & Jo Ann Imbrie, Carolyn Ingino, Joe Jaworski, Brad Jones, Robert & Marianne Katz, Carol Kaye, Nancy & John Kelly, Kathy Kenefick, Margaret & Ronald Kennedy, Joe & Mary Koziuk, Francis & Kathleen (Day) Krummenacker, Michael LaFeir, Len & Catherine Lake , Robert & Robin Lehmann, Ethel & George L. Lembke, Arthur & Dorothea Levitin, Patricia Levitt, Samuel J. (In Memory of brothers Eugene, WWII & Milton , Korea ) Libert, Elaine M Lichtenstein, Henry. Listort, Dennis Lynn, Sidney Maas, Brian Maas , Brian (In Memory of brother Palmer) Madden, Mark & Barbara Manelski, Stephen (In Memory of brother Thomas) Maniec, John Masciello, Michael Masone, Robert & Marleen McCallion, John & Janet McCormack, Ronald M. (In Memory) McIsaac, Rev. Robert M. & Margaret Melody, Michael & Susan Menghi, Ed & Jo Ann Milich, Ellen & Joseph Moos, Sanford & Marta Morton, Thomas & Francis Neri Mucchiari, Jean Muller, Ray & Maryanne Mullin, Thomas & Wendy Mulvihill, Thomas Neely, Judith Oehler, Robert A. Olivari, Irene & Lawrence Olsen, Glen & Maureen Osborne, Edward A. Osborne, Richard O'Shaughnessy, Ellen H. Ostroski, John & Maureen Otten, Robert & Leslie Peluso, Robert J., Jr. Pfaender, Richard & Lorraine Phon, Tom & Renee Piccirilli , Virginia Pietras, Robert & Victoria Pizzariella, John & Katherine Pizzo , Lorraine Platt, Joe Pohl, Kenneth & Rosemary Polanski, Christopher & Barbara Polit, Robert & Mary Ellen Plonski, Anthony J., Jr. Plonski, Anthony J., Jr. (In Memory of brother, Robert) Probst, Carl Proia, Mildred Przybyszewski, Barbara, in Honor of Cousin Ralph Kowalski Przybyszewski, Ralph & Barbara Pugarelli, Frederick Quinn, Kevin & Kathleen Recine, Vincent & Mary Reid, Maureen & George Rigdon, Alice Rivoire, Edward & Patricia Rizzo, Joyce E. Rocek, Ron Rossi, Denis Roth, Doris & Julie Rothschild, Paula Rowan, Elke & Donald Rozos, John Rozos, Michael & Sharon Rycar, Judith Sacks, Darlene Sandler, Marcia & Howard Salvino, Mary; in Honor of Father, Joseph H. Muldowney, WWII Schiavone, Kathleen & Phillip Schilling, Leona & Cliff Schlosser, Joseph & Jennifer Schrimpe, Donna Schultz, Dale & Dee Schwamb, Fred & Janet Schwartz, Fred Seritage SRC Finance Sheil, Linda Shepski, Stan & Linda Sherburne, William & Marcia Silbert, Linda & Alvin Siracusa, Lou Smith, Stephen & Lenore Starpoli, Joseph & Janet Stevens, Paul & Denise Strafer, Kenneth J. Talent for Troops Thomas, Mark & Karen Thurer, Robert & Shari Tranchina, John & Carol Traub, Richard Uusitalo, Leonard W. Van Buren, Carolyn (Fischer) Vines, Kathryn Volpe-Browne, Dorothea Walden, William Wallace, Terence K. Warshawsky, Peter W. Wassmer, Donald Weber, Walter Weiss, Harvey & Shirley Williams, Robert Wink, George W. Winkel, Fred & Barbara Winkel, Martin Woodcheke, Michael & Denise Woods Realty (Harold Woods) Zabbia, Luke & Grace Zeier, Ronald Zuckerman, Howard F.
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