Lynbrook’s annual Oktoberfest brought residents together for a day of food, entertainment and family-friendly activities, while giving the village an opportunity to welcome a group of wounded warriors visiting from Fort Belvoir, Virginia.
The celebration featured carnival rides, games, local vendors and activities for children, including potato sack races. Residents gathered to enjoy the festivities, while community organizations and local businesses set up booths throughout the event.
Among those attending were five wounded warriors and two additional service personnel from Fort Belvoir, who spent the weekend in Lynbrook as guests of the Lynbrook Fire Department.
The visit was part of the department’s longstanding commitment to supporting wounded service members, an effort that has continued for 15 years.
Former Lynbrook Fire Chief Kevin Bien said the department has raised approximately $350,000 for wounded warriors over that time through its fundraising efforts.
The visitors arrived Friday and were welcomed with dinner before spending Saturday exploring Long Island. Their itinerary included a trip to the Cradle of Aviation Museum and lunch at River Mill, provided by the restaurant, before attending Oktoberfest that afternoon.
Bien said the group was particularly appreciative of the welcome they received from residents and village officials.
“They couldn’t say enough about the Lynbrook hospitality,” Bien said. “We tried to give them a nice experience of what Lynbrook in New York is all about.”
Mayor Alan Beach also helped welcome the visitors, who spent time at the Lynbrook Fire Department’s tent during Oktoberfest.
The weekend continued Sunday with the department’s annual memorial service, honoring firefighters who died in the line of duty or during the past year. The wounded warriors attended the ceremony and a breakfast afterward before returning home.
Bien said the visitors were moved by the service and the community’s hospitality throughout their stay.
The department’s support for wounded warriors extends beyond Oktoberfest. Its annual Wounded Warrior Classic Car Show, held the previous weekend, drew approximately 40 vehicles despite unfavorable weather.
Although the wounded warriors did not attend the car show, Bien said those who participated were enthusiastic about supporting the cause and showing their appreciation for military service members.
The department plans to continue its fundraising efforts with a bingo night Nov. 10. Proceeds from the car show and other events will be totaled after the remaining fundraisers are completed.
For Bien, the weekend was another opportunity for the fire department and the village to show their appreciation for those who have served.
The department's fundraising efforts, he said, are about giving back to the men and women who have sacrificed for their country.
