Huntington Station – Supervisor Chad
A. Lupinacci, Councilman Ed Smyth, Town Clerk Jo-Ann Raia and Tax Receiver
Jillian Guthman were joined by Town officials, members of the Hispanic Task Force, including Chair Veronica Melgar and Co-Chair Pilar Moya, Senator
Carl L. Marcellino, Legislator Susan A. Berland, community leaders, local
school districts, students and their families for the 24th Annual Hispanic
Heritage Celebration at the Jack Abrams STEM Magnet School on Friday, September
28.
Carmen Kasper, the Town’s recently
appointed history-making first Latina Director of Human Services offered the
first welcome of the night. Libardo Ramos served as Master of Ceremonies. Frank
Altamirano, an All State Singer from Half Hollow Hills High School East, opened
the celebration by performing the National Anthem. Josue Daniel Rivera, Lead
Pastor at the Huntington Assembly of God, offered the invocation and
benediction. The celebration included a keynote speech by counselor, educator
and community activist Cristobal Benitez.
"We are here at our Town's 24th
Annual celebration of Hispanic Heritage to recognize Cristobal Benitez, Julio
Hernandez, and outstanding students from across the Town of Huntington whose
individual contributions have impacted our greater Huntington community,"
said Supervisor Chad A. Lupinacci, as he welcomed the crowd. "We celebrate
our culturally rich, diverse Town and the individual contributions that,
together, make us great. You are our Town’s Hispanic Heritage, making you all a
part of Huntington’s history."
"It’s important to recognize
the contributions of Huntington’s Hispanic community and the good work of the
Town’s Hispanic Task Force. I'd like to applaud our new Hispanic Task Force
Chair, Veronica Melgar, for her efforts in spearheading Madres Latinas, an
initiative that launched in May of this year," said Councilman Smyth.
"Madres Latinas offers resources and learning opportunities for parents,
including monthly workshops held the second Wednesday of the month in the
Community Room at the Huntington Station Library."
Cultural musical performances included
dance performances by students from Walt Whitman High School and Huntington
High School, a performance by Half Hollow Hills High School East’s Guitar
Ensemble, and a dinner with a musical performance by the Triple M Fiesta Band.
Julio Hernandez was honored with a
Community Service Award and Student Achievement Awards were presented to Ivan
Andrade, Victoria Bueso, Juan Carrasco, Francisco Chong, Rachel Friedlander,
Sara Gallegos, Tatiana LaSalle, Anyi Mancia-Matute, Melanie Navarro, Brenda
Perez Peláez, Henry Rivas, Samantha Rivera, Daniella Rodriguez-Rebolledo,
Gabriella Rojas, Ricardo Romero, Katie Sierra, Michaela Soury, Aidan Tornquist,
Jeannet Vargas, and Claudia Villatoro.
The celebration was sponsored by
Palacios Law Group, the Law Offices of David M. Sperling, People's United Bank,
and HealthFirst, with donations from Walgreens.
In the photos (l-r): (1) Director of
Minority Affairs Kevin Thorbourne; Tax Receiver Jillian Guthman; Dr. Pat
Marcellino; Senator Carl L. Marcellino; Councilman Edmund J.M. Smyth; Director
of Human Services Carmen Kasper; Town Clerk Jo-Ann Raia; Supervisor Chad A.
Lupinacci; James Callero; Pilar Moya; Cristobal Benitez; Libardo Ramos. (2)
Group photo of Town, State, County officials, community leaders and student honorees.
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