By Brian Zanzonico
Denise Miller, of Franklin Square, has been an employee of the Town' s Highway Department for the last 20 years. In a department comprised mostly of men, Miller manages the operation of 40 pieces of mechanical equipment, a fleet of 200 vehicles and an employee base of more than 200. But her work doesn't stop there.
When a fellow worker's home burned to the ground and another one was involved in a car accident, she engineered fund-raising drives for both men and helped her displaced coworker find new furniture and clothing for his children.
In an effort to raise money for a newly established scholarship in Kevin McArthur's and Robert Getschel's names - Floral Park Memorial High School seniors who died within a day of each other weeks before graduation last June, senior Julie Mastrella drew schoolwide attention by vowing to break the Guinness Book of Records mark for hugs in an hour on Valentine's Day.
Fearing early in the day that the ice storm that blanketed the area would jeopardize her attempt at the feat by keeping students from making it to school, Mastrella soon discovered that attendance wouldn't be a problem, and shattered the recognized mark of 612 hugs set in 2004 by a woman in Finland. In just 21 minutes Mastrella hugged 844 freshmen, sophomores, juniors and fellow seniors, raising $4,000 for the Bobby and Kevin Memorial Fund along the way.
In addition to being the school's Key Club president, Mastrella is a member of the National Honor Society, a volleyball player, a basketball coach and a volunteer at Camp ANCHOR for developmentally disabled people.
When fund-raising for the Bobby and Kevin Memorial Fund began, students sold teddy bears, raising $3,100. While considering other ideas, Mastrella was thumbing through the Guinness Book of Records and came across the record for hugs in an hour. "I thought, Wow, I can break this," she said. "There's no question I can do it."
In the weeks before Christmas, she met with then-Interim Superintendent Warren Meierdiercks and school faculty and was given the OK to use the gymnasium - and the student body - to try and set the mark, which she did. She had plenty of support.
Because the cost of flying a representative from London-based Guinness to New York would have cut significantly into the money raised for the scholarship since September, Mastrella had to follow a litany of rules in order for the record to be authentic. She needed photo and video proof, as well as written testimony from key community witnesses. Village of Bellerose Mayor Donna Sherrer, local police commissioners and the Floral Park Fire Department - in honor of Getschel, one of their own - were all on hand to legitimize the hug record.
"Both of these women are truly extraordinary," said Town Supervisor Kate Murray. "They are deserving of this honor and it is an extreme pleasure to have this opportunity to recognize them for their accomplishments."
Comments about this story?FSeditor@liherald.com or (516) 569-4000 ext. 240.
