Sea Rangers sees resurgence

The American Sea Rangers has been an institution in Valley Stream but like many local organizations, its enrollment has been dwindling for years.

Last year, leaders considered shutting the organization down, which serves youth ages 8-18, but they decided to keep it going for the few kids who were committed to the organization. Their decision paid off, as enrollment tripled this past year and leaders hope to continue the forward momentum.

“We had a very good year this year,” said Commander Lori Ang. “Last year I was sitting on the fence of closing it down.”

Ang has been involved with the Sea Rangers since her days growing up in Valley Stream. She noted that there used to be several battalions across Long Island and Queens. The Valley Stream chapter is the only one remaining in Nassau County.

The group was down to only 11 members a year ago, but ended this year with about 35. An awards ceremony was held on June 6 at the Wheeler Avenue School, where members of the Sea Rangers did marching demonstrations in their uniforms and participated in a variety of competitions. The group will resume meeting again in September.

Before then, Major James Diodato, a battalion line officer, wants to ramp up recruitment efforts. He has been involved with the group off and on for the past 12 years, and wants to increase membership to at least 60 cadets.

Diodato described the Sea Rangers as “like the Boy Scouts with a military twist.” It is open to both boys and girls, and is steeped in Naval tradition. He is one of the few leaders with a military background, as he served in the Marines.

The Sea Rangers provides structure and a chance to learn leadership skills, he explained. There are team-building exercises and classes, such as CPR lessons.

Diodato said he has grand plans for the organization going forward. He wants to implement a program where his cadets work at the Intrepid Sea, Air and Space Museum for a day. He would also like the Valley Stream chapter to provide color guard services for funerals and events, and have the group more involved with the Marine Corps, Navy and local veterans organizations.

His two daughters, 17 and 12, are involved in the organization. Oceania Diodato, who just finished her junior year at Central High School, joined when she was in elementary school, took a few years off to shoot for the PAL rifle team, then returned last year.

Oceania said her goal is to serve in the military, so her involvement in the Sea Rangers helps her along that path. She explained that she has learned how to give and receive orders, and enjoys the team building exercises and marching drills. Like her father, she is hoping to see the enrollment grow. “If we had more kids,” she said, “I believe it would open more opportunities for us.”

James Diodato said that he would eventually like to turn the Sea Rangers into a year-round organization. But that is down the line. First he wants to keep growing enrollment, provide new opportunities for cadets, and avoid the fate that has befallen other chapters of the Sea Rangers.

“It’s an organization where once it’s gone, it’s going to be gone for good,” he said. “Most people don’t even know it exists.”

A half-century of service

At the June 6 ceremony, Lori Ang presented a special award to her brother, Vinny, for his 50 years of service to the Sea Rangers. He was a member of the group growing up and stayed on as a leader. He is the current commandant and handles much of the organizations behind-the-scenes work.

“It’s such a good organization and the kids really do enjoy it,” he said. “I had so many good times in it and I made so many friends that I still have today.”

Ang was presented with a plaque and Naval officer’s sword for his half-century with the Sea Rangers. He has held numerous positions, including battalion commander in the 1980s and ’90s. The former village clerk noted that more than 2,000 kids have gone through the chapter since it was founded in 1955.

He said he has stayed involved with the organization for so long because he wants to give back to the community. “I think kids need to be involved in something,” Ang said. “There are 100 different places a kid can be on a Friday night and a lot of them are not very good. This is a good place to be.”