Long Island’s largest hospital fundraiser tees off May 15

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There’s nothing bigger on Long Island — at least as far as annual hospital golf fundraiser goes, and it kicks off Monday, May 15 at three Nassau County courses.

Sponsored by Mount Sinai South Nassau Hospital, the 39th Annual Golf Outing raises money to serve patients and communities across the South Shore. And it will honor both the Long Beach fire chief, and a longtime facility vice president with the hospital.

Scott Kemins has spent more than 40 years as a civil servant, growing up in Long Beach “as a nice Jewish boy” whose mom wanted him to become a lawyer or a doctor. She did not conceive of him becoming a firefighter or a police officer. But that’s exactly what he did.

Now 60, Kemins, has been chief of the Long Beach Fire Department for more than two decades, joining the force in 1980. He was the youngest chief elected at the age of 26.

Kemins joined the Long Beach building department in 1995, becoming its commissioner in 2002. Kemins also earned Nassau County’s Bronze Medal of Valor for helping rescue someone from a burning apartment at an assisted living facility in Long Beach in the late 1980s. He also spent 40 years as a lifeguard.

Kemins — who is receiving the hospitals community service award at the event — shares twin 14-year-old daughters, Casey and Hailey, with his wife, Gayle. Both were born at Mount Sinai South Nassau, spending two weeks in the hospital’s neonatal care unit.

“My wife and I are eternally grateful to the hospital and its staff for the expert care they provided to our twins,” Kemins said, in a release. “We will never forget the kindness and expertise we witnessed first-hand when our girls were in the NICU.”

Dr. Adhi Sharma, the hospital’s president, said in a statement that Kemins’s leadership has helped emergency services on the barrier island improved significantly.

“He always works to better coordinate services in the field with area hospitals,” Sharma said. “He is an asset to our community, and it is our pleasure to recognize his essential contributions to our community.”

Also earning recognition at the charity event is Andrew Triolo, Mount Sinai South Nassau’s vice president of facilities, design and construction.

“A builder, collaborator and problem-solver, Andy is always available to lend a helping hand, and has been essential to the growth of the hospital and the continuation of its excellence in the delivery of quality health care,” said Jeff Greenfield, co-chair of the golf committee, in a release. “And Scott is a first responder of the first order. He shows up whenever his community calls.”

Triolo also oversees construction of the hospital’s $130 million, four-story, 100-square-foot Feil Family Pavilion in Oceanside. Expected to be completed next year, the pavilion will double the size of the Fennessy Family Emergency Center, increase the critical and intensive care in-patient capacity to 40 beds, and add nine new operating rooms equipped with the latest surgical technologies.

Mike Sapraicone, who co-chairs the golf committee with Greenfield, says Kemins and Triolo are cut from the same cloth.

“They are built to serve,” he said, “and their service makes a measurable difference in the lives of our patients.”

The tournament itself will be held at three venues: The Seawane Club in Hewlett Harbor, the Rockaway Hunting Club in Lawrence, and the Rockville Links Club in Rockville Centre,

Last year’s outing broke records, grossing just under $640,000, with $435,000 of that going directly to expand and improve hospital services across the South Shore.

Sponsorships, journal ads and foursomes are available for the outing, as well as a pickleball tournament for those who don’t golf. To learn more about sponsorship, or to register for golf or pickleball, call (516) 377-5360, or email lynne.nordone@snch.org.