In an effort to consolidate our information, we've created a section on Bellport.com just for Coronavirus updates that are important to our community. We will continue to update this page with any news we receive. Click here to visit the page.
Looking for the perfect holiday gifts? Why not do your shopping "On Main Street!" You’ll find special events, offers, and services from our local merchants who are located on and around Bellport Village's Main Street as well as specific gift ideas that might come in handy. Now more than ever it's so important to "shop local" and support our local businesses! You can do a lot of your holiday shopping right here in town without having to drive to "the mall" or having to pay for shipping and then waiting for delivery. We will continue to add new items, so be sure to stop back often all month long! Click here for more information.
Thank you to everyone who submitted a photo in the "Downtown Bellport Village" Photo Contest. They were all great! If you didn't have a chance to submit a photo for this contest, don't worry. We'll have a brand new themed contest coming soon and we hope that you'll participate! So please hold your new photo submissions until then. We'd like to congratulate Maryanne Dumas for submitting the winning photograph! Click here to see a larger version of Maryanne's photo and all of our past photo contest winners.
A new classified ad has been posted for FREE kitchen cabinets available in the Bellport area. Click here for more information.
Have you finished your holiday shopping? If you haven’t, there’s a great, fun, way to finish off your shopping right here in Bellport Village! On December 12th and 19th, the Bellport Chamber of Commerce is holding their Annual Holiday Stroll in Bellport Village. Find gifts for everyone on your list and support your local businesses! Click here for more information.
New letters to the Editor have been posted. Click here for more information.
Postponed due to rain. New date: Sunday,
December 6th from 10:00am-5:00pm. Christ Church is offering their fair-goers a new
approach for their Annual Christmas Fair... an Outdoor
Christmas Market. Gifts, music, food, baskets, wreaths and
more! Masks are required.
Click here for more information.
They are
also holding a raffle for a handcrafted Christmas quilt,
designed for Christ Church by artisan, Jane Shapiro. The
quilt is currently on display at TOLA in Bellport
Village. Raffle tickets will be available to purchase in
advance at TOLA, or through the Church at 631-286-0299.
The winning ticket will be drawn on December 5th at
4:30pm at the fair, followed by their tree lighting
service at 5:00pm.
Click here for more information about the quilt raffle.
The BVPF, Bellport Village Program Fund, has a great
new idea for the Holidays, The Village of Bellport First
Annual Wreath Decorating Contest. The Village will
supply the pre-lit wreaths and bows and 27 lucky
contestants will do the decorating. The finished wreaths
will be displayed on the lampposts throughout the
Village during the month of December.
Contestants must follow these rules. They must...
• Use shatterproof ornaments and decorations
•
Use twist ties or zip ties to affix decorations
•
They must not use glue or any other permanent adhesive
to affix decorations
There are 27 wreaths
available to decorate and you must pre-register in order
to enter the contest. Registration is limited to the
first 27 people who register by calling Bellport Village
Hall at 631-286-0327 or email
receptionist@bellportvillageny.gov. You must
pre-register in order to be able to pick up a wreath.
The 27 lucky entrants will be able to pick up their
wreaths beginning on Saturday, November 21 between noon
and 2 pm at the Village Community Center located at 4
Bell Street in the Village. Decorated wreaths must be
delivered back to Village Hall by Tuesday, December 1st.
The Village Public Works Department will install the
wreath on the lampposts. Prizes for Contest winners will
be awarded on December 19, 2020. Winners will be
notified by email and/or phone.
The South Country Library now has a "Give or Take" food pantry set up in the library's lobby. If you wish to donate, please leave non-perishable, un-expired items in the collection bin. Residents in need of food may help themselves to the pantry shelf any time. The food pantry will be open 9:30am to 9:00pm on weekdays, and 9:30am to 5:00pm on Saturdays. Click here for more information.
Thank you to everyone who submitted a photo in the "Downtown Bellport Village" Photo Contest. They were all great! If you didn't have a chance to submit a photo for this contest, don't worry. We'll have a brand new themed contest coming soon and we hope that you'll participate! So please hold your new photo submissions until then. We'd like to congratulate Maryanne Dumas for submitting the winning photograph! Click here to see a larger version of Maryanne's photo and all of our past photo contest winners.
The Suffolk County Police Reform & Reinvention Task
Force will be holding several public input listening
sessions over the next few weeks. They are interested in
the public's insights, concerns and suggestions
regarding police reform and reinvention. Register in
advance for any of the upcoming public listening
sessions.
Click here for more information.
Click here to register.
Deborah L. Galligan broker/ owner of Swan Realty Corp would like to welcome Alexus Blenman, LSA to the Swan Realty team! Click here for more information.
A new classified ad has been posted looking for a Spanish tutor. Click here for more information.
The SCEF works tirelessly to make ordinary school days, extraordinary days. Be a part of their amazing, rewarding journey by making a tax-deductible donation to their organization! To learn more about the SCEF and the incredible projects that they have been able to fund, check out this video.
Merckling Family Chiropractic is pleased to announce that they are now offering Acupuncture services in their downtown Bellport Village office! Acupuncture can help with everything from physical problems with your muscles, joints and nerves, to emotional problems with stress and sleep patterns. It has been proven to alleviate some of the pains associated with arthritis, helping people with arthritis regain mobility and improve their overall physical health. Acupuncture is also used frequently to aid the pain and nausea that is associated with cancer and cancer treatments. Click here for more information.
Usually, at this time of year you would be receiving
an announcement from South Country Concerts, the SCC,
describing a three-concert series they would be offering
over the coming 2020-2021 season. Unfortunately, this
year, they are unable to present a fall concert because
of the restrictions imposed on social gatherings due to
COVID-19.
South Country Concerts is uncertain as
to when they will be able to offer a new schedule of
concerts, but they are absolutely committed to the
continuation of being able to provide high quality,
live, music to our community. Be assured that despite a
few basic organizational operating costs, SCC is
financially stable thanks to YOU, their donors and
subscribers. The SCC will be back as soon as possible,
performing for the South Country community!
In
recent news, over this past summer, the SCC was able to
come up with an innovative response to the times in
which we now live. With gratitude to their donors and
ticket holders, Laurinel Owen performed boutique-style
concerts outdoors at her home. Each of seven
performances featured Bach’s Partita #3, BWV 1006 and
Benjamin Britten’s Suite for Cello, Op. 72. They were
pleased by the turnout of so many of their dedicated
supporters. One of the performances from this series was
recorded and it can be viewed by clicking this link,
Almost Live. The SCC invites you to settle back and
enjoy an interlude of outstanding music at your leisure
and they hope to see you soon.
Safe at Home for Seniors is a new United Way of Long Island managed COVID-19 health and safety outreach program in partnership with a network of agencies. Community Navigators are in place to help seniors remain in the comfort and safety of their own home, where they are best protected while maintaining social relationships. They can help with everyday tasks such as groceries and prescriptions, coordinating appointments and staying in touch with loved ones. Click here for more information.
Founded in 1998, the South Country Education
Foundation is a nonprofit organization committed to
improving educational opportunities for all students in
the South Country Central School District. The mission
of the Foundation is to promote and enhance educational
initiatives by providing supplemental financial support
for projects and programs that are outside the South
Country school budget.
Since their founding, they
have granted over $1,000,000 to teachers,
administrators, students and community groups in our
district who have come to them with their innovative and
creative ideas. Funding for these grants comes from
generous donations to the foundation by community
members, alumni and local nonprofits as well as from the
proceeds of our annual cocktail party and auction.
The SCEF will offer only one grant cycle this year
as they did in 2019. Grant applications are now
available on their website.
Click here for more
information.
For several months I’ve been hearing about a computer
program that will alert you if you’ve been in close
proximity to someone who has tested positive for
COVID-19 and I just received a copy of the program.
COVID Alert NY is a testing and tracing program that
can significantly help stop the spread of COVID-19.
Developed by NY State, “COVID Alert NY” is a free
smartphone app that uses Bluetooth technology, not
location data, to quickly alert you if you’ve been in
close contact with someone who has tested positive for
COVID-19. If the program alerts you, you can then
quickly protect yourself and others by self-quarantining
and then contact your doctor so that you can be tested.
Click here to read the
new Editorial.
A new classified ad has been posted offering tutoring for elementary through high school students. Click here for more information.
Are you ready to get outside and enjoy the Fall weather? Then check out Rich Weissmann's "Hiking on Long Island" column on Bellport.com! Many areas on Long Island offer a wide array of opportunities for people to get out and enjoy the great outdoors. Whether you are a couch potato, or a kid; a seasoned athlete or a senior citizen, there is a place to enjoy a walk, a saunter, or a fairly serious hike within a short drive of Bellport. Click here for more information.
On Monday, August 31st, Supervisor Ed Romaine,
members of the Town Council, the Department of Housing
and Human Services and the Long Island Housing
Partnership announced the 2020 Town of Brookhaven’s Down
Payment Assistance Program for First-Time Homebuyers.
This program provides eligible first-time homebuyers
with up to $20,000 in down payment/closing costs toward
the purchase of an eligible, new or existing
single-family home, provided that the applicant meets
all program requirements to secure a mortgage.
Homeowners are required to reside in the home as their
principle residence for a minimum of 10 years or the
United States (US) Department of Housing and Urban
Development will require a full repayment of the HOME
Investment Partnership Program down payment assistance
provided. Funding for this program comes from the U.S.
Department of Housing and Urban Development. The
application is now available online at
www.BrookhavenNY.gov/DownPayment.
For more
information, call the Long Island Housing Partnership at
631-435-4710 and ask about the Brookhaven Town HOME Down
Payment Assistance Program.
The Village of Bellport, more than ever before, needs the support of the Bellport Village Program Fund and its donors to execute vital projects within the Community. The BVPF was not able to host their annual fundraising party, so they are fundraising online. With the loss of the support generated from this event, and with the Village grants frozen by various governmental agencies, the Bellport Village Program Fund does not have the financial resources to continue to uphold our mission to back Community projects. To ensure they are building towards a bright future, when we can come together again as a Community in a non-socially distanced manner to enjoy the many resources that the Fund has continually supported, the Board of the Bellport Village Program Fund is excited to launch an inaugural annual appeal, #BVPF4Bellport. Click here for more information.
Not only do the people of the world have a virus without a cure, but many of the trees in our lovely Village are also suffering. The Bellport Garden Club has just been informed that every Ash Tree in the Village (the Village has about 30) is infected with emerald ash borer and will have to be removed. Your donations to the Tree Fund can help keep Bellport shady and green! Click here for more information.
The Covid-19 Pandemic poses new challenges to all
students as they return to school this fall. With the
many new plans in place, fear and anxiety can be
overwhelming and lead to strong emotion. Youth are often
unable to identify and express their feelings and the
change is seen in their behavior.
The Town of
Brookhaven Youth Bureau’s Sanctuary Program offers
professional counseling, crisis intervention, case
management, information and referrals to youth 12-24
years of age who may be having difficulty with stress
management, relationships with friends or family, school
avoidance and more. Support services are also available
to at risk, runaway and homeless youth. Currently,
services are being offered through video communications
via Zoom or telehealth.
Some steps parents and
guardians can take in talking to their children about
going back to school are:
● Talk to your
child/teen about COVID-19. Ask what they know as a
starting discussion point.
● Validate your child’s
feelings. These can be scary times for everyone.
●
Limit exposure to news and social media.
● Talk to a
friend or a loved one.
● Maintain a feelings journal.
● Set healthy habits; good sleep schedule, regular
exercise and nutrition.
● Avoid too much caffeine.
● Be patient toward others. Although we are all
experiencing the pandemic, each person’s situation is
different.
The Center for Disease Control and
Prevention states mental health is an important part of
overall health and wellbeing. It affects how we think,
feel and act. It may also relate to how we handle
stress, relate to others, and make choices during an
emergency.
Virtual groups to help students and
parents are being planned to further support families as
they acclimate to the uncertainty that lies ahead.
Please refer to
brookhavenny.gov for upcoming information or visit
the
Town of Brookhaven Youth Bureau’s Facebook page.
If you or someone you know is interested in
receiving counseling through the Brookhaven Youth
Bureau, please call 631-451-8011.
Today, almost 66% of you are visiting Bellport.com with a mobile device, a cell phone or iPad, and our old design made it difficult for you to navigate the site. We wanted to make sure your experience here is a positive one, so it was time for Bellport.com to evolve with the times. Click here for more information.
Every week, The Village News features a photo
submitted by one of our readers. If you have a photo you'd like us
to consider featuring,
email
it to us. Be sure to sign up for our weekly email
blasts to see if your photo has been chosen!
Placing an ad in the Bellport.com Classifieds works!
Take a look at two letters we received from readers who
had posted Classified Ads:
"Thank you for
posting a photo of a beagle and our request for a
sitter. We received many calls and found a lovely couple
in Bellport Village to care for our beagle Molly. Many
thanks and you can now remove the posting under pet
sitting." - Mary and Tom
"Once again, with the
help of bellport.com we have been successful in our
efforts. This time we placed an ad for help in caring
for our garden. Once again bellport.com made it a
successful move. So please discontinue our ad. What
would we ever do without you?" Best regards, Elaine
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submit your own ad.