Sunday, November 15, 2026
Some Bellmore residents may recall Carol Schmitt as the mother who helped improve their neighborhood playground, while others know her from school events or religious education classes at St. Barnabas Church.
But to generations of children who have visited her home on Halloween, she’s simply the “PEZ Lady.”
Schmitt, 76, moved to Bellmore in 1983, drawn by its schools and family-oriented atmosphere. More than four decades later, she remains a familiar face in the community she has long called home.
Although Halloween has come and gone, her latest celebration of the holiday offered another reminder of how much the tradition has grown. This year, Schmitt handed out 388 PEZ dispensers to trick-or-treaters, many accompanied by parents who remember visiting her home when they were children themselves.
The PEZ tradition began 22 years ago, but her commitment to making Halloween special for children dates back nearly four decades.
For Schmitt, Halloween should include the excitement of ringing a doorbell and having someone personally answer with candy. When she noticed that many houses were leaving candy buckets on their porches for trick-or-treaters, she began handing out full-size candy bars — a tradition that lasted more than a decade.
“I love giving back to the community I raised my children in,” Schmitt said. “To me, the best way to give back is by making children smile.”
As awareness of food allergies grew, Schmitt began looking for an alternative to traditional Halloween candy. In 2004, she turned to PEZ dispensers, which offered nostalgia for parents and a special treat for children.
Schmitt begins her preparations each July, researching different characters and purchasing the treats by the case to spread out the expense. She also tracks which PEZ dispensers are the most popular to help plan for the following year.
Initially limiting the giveaway to 100 dispensers, Schmitt has since expanded the tradition with help from her youngest granddaughter, Dakota. This Halloween, she ran out of giveaways and plans to increase her supply to 450 next year, Schmitt said.
Schmitt earned her “PEZ Lady” moniker more than a decade ago when a mother told her that her daughter insisted on visiting her house, even though she was getting too old for trick-or-treating. When Schmitt shared the story with her grandchildren, they made her a sign showing off the adoring nickname for the following Halloween, and the term of endearment stuck.
One encounter this Halloween showed how popular Schmitt had become in the community. An older brother brought his younger sibling to her home, reassuring him that the "PEZ Lady" would be there.
“See I told you she would be here … she’s always here,” the older brother said, according to Schmitt.
But long before she became known as the "PEZ Lady," Schmitt was finding other ways to make a difference in the community.
When she moved to Bellmore in 1983, Randy Lane Park had limited playground equipment, much of which was in disrepair, and Schmitt wanted better recreational facilities for her children and other families.
She worked with a friend to go door to door throughout the peninsula, collecting signatures on a petition requesting park improvements. Schmitt also photographed equipment at other updated parks before meeting with then-Town of Hempstead Supervisor Tom Gullota to present her case. Her efforts helped secure approval for new playground equipment.
“This is where we call home, and I just want the best for my family and my community and if I can help achieve that then it’s my responsibility to do so,” Schmitt said.
She also became actively involved in the Shore Road School PTA from 1982 to June 1990, serving as co-president from 1986 to 1988. During her years of involvement, she also received a lifetime PTA award.
Schmitt’s dedication to local children also extended to the Parish of St. Barnabas the Apostle in Bellmore, where she taught religious education from 1983 to 1995. She returned in 2006 and has continued teaching and volunteering at the church ever since. In addition, she has helped children prepare for their First Holy Communion ceremonies, lining them up, calming their nerves and guiding them down the aisle.
“Growing up, I never really understood how special that was,” her son, David Schmitt, said. “To me, she was just Mom.”
As he grew older, he realized that the time his mother spent helping others is what makes her so unique. She possesses the ability to make everyone feel important, welcomed and loved, he said.
Schmitt continues to help others because it makes her happy, not because she is seeking recognition or praise, David added.
All three of Schmitt’s children have chosen to raise their families in the Bellmore-Merrick community, and according to David, she was a major reason they wanted to remain nearby.
“Of course, we love Bellmore and Merrick, but the biggest reason we stayed close was her,” he said. “We wanted our children to experience the same love, kindness and sense of family that we grew up with.”
For Schmitt, having her family close means getting to relive some of her favorite memories, including watching her youngest grandchildren go to the same elementary school her children once attended.
“I see my youngest grandchildren walk out of Shore Road, and I can blink and see it as my son with the same skip in his step and smile,” Schmitt said.
After more than four decades in Bellmore, Schmitt has watched generations of children grow up, including her own. But according to David, she may not fully realize how much of a difference she’s made along the way.
“I think the most remarkable thing about her is that she probably has no idea how many lives she has touched,” David said. “To her, she’s just being Carol.”
