$10K for Seaford Wellness Council

The Seaford Wellness Council will have an extra $10,000 in its pocket.

For the second year in a row, the community organization has received a grant from the Nassau County Youth Board, and members plan to use the funds for a variety of initiatives. Wellness Council President Michael DiSilvio said he received notice of the grant in December, which he had not expected to receive again.

“Obviously someone likes what we’re doing,” said DiSilvio, calling the grant “a pleasant surprise.”

The 2015 grant was awarded to the Wellness Council by then-Legislator David Denenberg. It was renewed for 2016 by his successor in the 19th Legislative District, Steve Rhoads.

Last year’s money was used for a variety of programs, including a donation to the Seaford School District for the Hoop Dreams with Chris Herren program, which was held at the high school on Dec. 6. Herren, a former NBA player, talked about his battles with drug and alcohol abuse, and his transition from addiction to sobriety.

High School Principal Scott Bersin said Herren’s anti-substance abuse program was a great experience for the community. “We could not be more thankful for all of the support that has come to Seaford High School from the Wellness Council,” he said. “Led by its president, Mr. Michael DiSilvio, the council has become a crucial partner to Seaford High School’s continued efforts to push our students to greater heights.”

Last year’s grant supported the middle school’s first Tackapausha Museum and Preserve cleanup in May, paying for transportation and supplies. Seventh-grade students picked up garbage along the paths and were treated to educational presentations in the museum. It also funded two Friday Night Live activity nights for middle schoolers in the fall, and was used to make a contribution to the high school robotics team. DiSilvio said that the 2016 grant will likely be used to continue those initiatives.

“For the 10 years I have worked in Seaford as an administrator, I have been greatly impressed by the efforts of the Seaford Wellness Council to better the community and serve its residents,” Middle School Principal Dan Smith said. “They have been great with providing speakers and educational programs to our school, and have always been a staunch ally for the school community and the greater Seaford community.”

Members of the Wellness Council say they would again like to set aside a few thousand dollars from the grant for school presentations, and would reach out to the principals and district administrators to see who they would like to bring in. “We’re delegating it to them to come up with some speakers,” Wellness Council board member Frank DiGregorio said.

Additional ideas include making donations to Boy Scouts for their Eagle community service projects, and a youth art class.

“Obviously we’re delighted that we got these funds to continue some of the programs that we’ve been working on for years,” DiSilvio said, “and also to bring some new ideas to the community.”

DiSilvio and other members said that the Wellness Council is going to look to do more for the Manor and Harbor elementary schools, and see what can be done to support the two Catholic schools in Seaford, St. William the Abbot and Maria Regina. “We try to spread it out among the community,” he said of the grant. “It does have to go to youth.”

Rhoads said that the grant was automatically renewed because the Youth Board had adequate funding to do so. He called the Wellness Council a beneficial organization that serves people in the community of all ages.

With the grant, the Wellness Council must spend the money first, and then submit paperwork to be reimbursed. DiSilvio said he is expecting the check for the 2015 grant to be delivered to the organization in May or June. The programs must be held in the calendar year that the grant is for.

The Wellness Council will hold its next meeting on Feb. 23, at 7:30 p.m., in the middle school library.