Monday, June 16, 2025
This year, the Rockville Centre Homemakers Achievement Day bloomed with more than crafts — it bloomed with remembrance.
In addition to the display of crafts the members spent the last eight months working on, they also held a ceremony to honor the life and legacy of Anna Biamonte, a devoted member who died in January.
They planted butterfly bushes in her memory, a fitting tribute to a woman whose spirit brought beauty, warmth and growth to every corner of the community she so dearly loved, as her family and friends all shared.
At their final meeting for the year, members reflected on a year of meaningful progress while pausing to remember Biamonte, who had been a pillar of the Homemakers for more than 50 years.
“Anna wasn’t just a member of the Homemakers family, she was the heart of it,” Karen Alterson, co-president of the RVC Homemakers, said. “For over 50 years, she served in every imaginable role, always giving, always lending, always supporting. Her dedication, warmth and spirit shaped the very soul of this community, and her absence is deeply felt by all of us.”
Biamonte began her Homemakers journey with the Lynbrook Chapter over 50 years ago, dedicating her Mondays entirely to her Homemakers work. According to her daughter, Liane Biamonte Richardson, “From that day on, a lifelong passion bloomed.”
“Everyone in our family knew Mondays from 9 to 2 were sacred,” she added.
After the Lynbrook Chapter closed, Biamonte didn’t miss a beat. “Ever the optimist,” as Richardson described, she immediately looked for a new chapter to join, which led her to bring her energy and optimism to the Rockville Centre Chapter, making Tuesdays her new “sacred” days.
She became a cherished presence at the John A. Anderson Recreation Center, where the Homemakers meet weekly, and was always full of stories and smiles. Even after suffering a stroke at 92, with the help of her caregiver Elsa, she continued to attend meetings and engage with the community she adored.
Barbara Lehman, the first vice president of the chapter, recalled being mentored by Biamonte when Lehman first joined the board and how they became “dear friends.”
“She took me under her wing [and] taught me what I needed to know and do,” Lehman said. “She never missed a week, and she had an unbelievable memory.”
Biamonte’s family expressed deep gratitude for the tribute. Richardson said, “The Butterfly Garden is a beautiful tribute honoring her love for flowers, plants and the peaceful views of nature.”
In addition to the memorial for Biamonte, the Achievement Day served to showcase all the crafts and creations the Homemakers worked on for the last eight months. From knitted blankets and dolls to suncatchers and paintings and beyond, each woman had her own display of designs. The group also donates blankets, fleece shawls, Surgi dolls and baby clothes to Mercy Hospital and Love Nana throughout the year.
As the butterfly bushes bloom right outside the auditorium where the Homemakers gather and craft, they serve as a living reminder of a woman who nurtured friendships, fostered community, and left a lasting mark on generations of Homemakers.
