By:Amy Schoenberger
Then the rains came and it poured all night Thursday as well as a good portion of Friday. For a while things were not looking good.
Yet as the sun came out last weekend over Speno Park, the annual location of the event now in its eleventh year, they all breathed a collective sigh of relief and set their sites on a day of free food, games and entertainment.
"I was completely confident that the event would not get rained out," said Alan Beinhacker, co-chairman of East Meadow Pride Day, hiding the obvious doubts that plagued his mind behind a sarcastic smirk. "Everyone did their part and it all came together."
Over 60 businesses and 3,000 residents came out to support Pride Day. Merchants, who were not permitted to sell anything at this event, took the opportunity to distribute their products and allow the people in the neighborhood to see what they have to offer.
It's the only day of the year where East Meadow residents can expect free food from local vendors and they didn't waste any time in capitalizing on offers of ice cream from Baskin Robins and bagels from Bagelicious.
Long lines also formed by the Dunkin Donuts table and the tent Pietro's Pizza was camped under. By day's end they had given out over 200 pizzas.
Aside from the free food and beverages, patrons took part in the numerous games, activities and demonstrations planned for the day. Kids rode on ponies and played on an inflatable slide provided by the East Meadow Chamber of Commerce, while face painters were on hand to decorate anyone willing to offer their visage as a canvas.
Hoping to spread the word about fire prevention, the North Bellmore Fire Department brought in their interactive fire trailer. Inside the trailer were several different real-life stations, such as a kitchen, which demonstrated the do's and don'ts of fire safety.
The East Meadow High School Jazz band, conducted by Stephen Engle, provided the crowd with music throughout the morning.
Meanwhile, the YH Park Taekwondo School showed off their martial arts skills with a professional demonstration team and offered children and adult classes during the day.
"It's getting larger and larger every year," said Jay Steinmetz, the secretary of the East Meadow Kiwanis Club, "with more businesses and people coming out to support the event."
Many people of the community have been coming to Pride Day for years, but for some this was their first time. For East Meadow resident Jami Golkowski, June 8 was a walk down memory lane.
"When I was little, I used to come every year with my friend Patty," Golkowski said. "I haven't been here in years, but it's great to come back."
Spearheaded by resident and former town supervisor Gregory Peterson over a decade ago, East Meadow Pride Day was created to boost neighborhood morale at a time when many local people were down on their luck economically.
All the money, food, services, supplies and staff are donated by East Meadow businesses and service establishments.
Sal Napolitano, who served as co-chairman along with Beinhacker, has worked hard for the past 11 years organizing these events. "Pride Day is a way for us to give back to the community," said Napolitano.
