Bethpage-Tribune_1974-08-15

              BETHPAGE
OLD BETHPAGE
also serving ISLAND TREES
PLAINVIEW PLAINEDGE SEAFORD
VOL. 8 NO. 39 Thursday, August 15, 1974 10 cents per copy
PEOPLE Meet Bill Baird WELCOME NEIGHBORS:
Sons of Italy
Community Center
by Shari Miller
AT PEOPLE'S OFFICE on Broadway are (L to R) Larry Sims- - •
Executive Director of. PEOPLE. BUI Baird,5 Jim McKague- r
Program Director of PEOPLE and Rose Morrone- - PpOPLE's
Outreach Worker^;"'""!• —**• .^ •iWL.i^p..->,--?•
\- photo by Jerry Augusta
by Amy Mannelli
Downstairs, in the meeting
room of the Bethpage Public
Library on July 30, 1974, the
volunteers and staff of PEOPLE
met with Bill Baird. Bill Baird is
president of Parents' Aid Society,
a health clinic located on Main
Street in Hempstead. . ,
The clinic, founded eleven
years ago by Bill Baird,
originated in Hempstead. It
provides services, all rendered
by licensed medical staff, in the
fields of abortion, birth control,
drug addiction, and venereal
disease. The clinic also has a 24-
hour hot line service for clientele.
Accompanied by his nurse,
Marilyn, Bill -Baird proceeded to
explain his role and the purpose
with the clinic. He explained his
main purposes are to help people
of all ages - to educate them in the
various fields of abortion, birth
control, drug addiction,/ and
venereal disease, and help them
safely and easily. Another pur­pose,
he explained, is to en­courage
every male and female
to decide what is right for him
and her. With this in mind, Bill
Baird spoke on behalf of abortion
and birth control.
To conclude the evening, Bill
i Baird and Marilyn showed a
short film on an abortion per­formed
in their clinic. Following
the film, Bill and Marilyn ad­dressed
themselves to the
audience for questions and an­swers.
Of the four fields of work
Bill Baird deals with questions on
abortion were raised, perhaps
due to the film on that same
subject, shown previously.
Editors Note: Ms. Manelli is a
volunteer - worker at PEOPLE.
Women's Auxiliary, which
also engages in many
worthwhile projects for
the benefit of the commu­nity.
Membership in the
Lodge is open to anyone
who is of Italian heritage
or whose spouse is of
Italian descent. Current
membership rolls include
residents of Island Trees,
Bethpage, and Levittown.
HEY, LISTEN TO THE BOSS — L - R - Pete Mastropaolo, Trustee of
Marco Polo Lodge, Sons of Italy takes his work very seriously as Ray
La Morte, Membership Chairman, and Pete Gambino, Past
Venerable of the Lodge "grin and bear it" as Frank Pastore,
Venerable tells the boys "we have a lot of work to do so put extra
muscle in it." It's all in good fun but at the same time everyone is
really doing their bit to get the new lodge in perfect shape for
Opening Day. All photos by Joseph J. Ferlise
An eyesore in the East first Venerable. The new
Holy Name Society Awards
OFFERING CONGRATULA­TIONS
to newly- installed
President John Kilbride (left) is
Rev. James B. Richter, V.F.,
Pastor of St. Bernard R. C.
Church, Levittown.
Approximately 300 people
attended the Diocesan Union
Holy Name Installation held
recently at Father Sullivan Hall,
St. Brigid's, in Westbury. The
Installation was both a financial
and social success.
John B. Kilbride is the newly-ihstalled
President of the
Diocesan Union of Holy Name
Societies of Rockville Centre,
New York. At the installation,
awards were presented to
Congressman Angelo D. Roncallo
and Attorney Eugene McMahon
for their efforts and loyal support
of the Pro-Life Movement. In­spector
William McBride,
Commander of the Suffolk
County Police, together with Lt.
George R. Sloane, President of
the Police Holy Name Society of
Suffolk County, received the
Humanitarian Awards for their
successful efforts in saving the
life of a man who was attempting
suicide.
Village Green in Island
Trees is gradually
becoming a.much-needed
community center for the
residents of the Mid-Island
community. The Marco
Polo Lodge of the Order of
Sons of Italy in America
No. 2214 has devoted the
past six weeks to back-breaking,
sweat-inducing
labor, the fruits of which
can soon be reaped by all.
Amid the wood panels
saws, ladders, and
hammers one can discern
the vibrant spirit of
community concern and
improvement. An aban­doned
drugstore has been
turned into a promising
recreation center through
the magic of the Marco
Polo Lodge.
It all started back in 1969
during a Republican Party
rally when Councilman
Anthony Imbarrato, Matty
J. DeGregorio, Joseph N.
Margiotta, and Steven G.
Renuzzi, Jr. hatched the
idea of founding the Lodge.
Its official founder was
Councilman Imbarrato
and Matty DeGregorio had
the honor of serving as the
Lodge received its charter
on September 13,1969 with
an initial membership of
76 residents of the Town of
Hempstead.
The main purpose of the
Lodge was to unite the
local Italo-American
population and to develop
better relationships with
the community. Over the
years, while maintaining
these two important goals,
the Lodge has also ex­panded
into various chari­table
pursuits. Over the
past five years the Marco
Polo Lodge has made
generous contributions to
the March of Dimes,
Cooley's Anemia, the
Suffolk State School in
Melville, and the St.
Francis Home. At
Christmas-time the Lodge
presents toys and gifts to
needy youngsters in the
area.
Throughout the Lodge's
short history, Councilman
Imbarrato has been a
constant source of in­spiration
to the members.
The membership has now
grown to approximately
240 persons including the
Ray LaMor.te shows his expertise
on the hand saw.
The Lodge arrived at its
new home after a year and
a half of long, hard labor.
In the beginning of 1973,
while considering the
Lodge's location in
Levittown Hall, Venerable
Frank Pastore and his
fellow officers launced the
idea of establising a Build­ing
Fund with the hope of
eventually purchasing a
home for the Lodge. After
obtaining the approval of
the Lodge membership,
the first Fund Drive was
conducted in 1973, which
netted close to $20,000 in
bonds. In 1974. a second
Building Fund Drive
brought in close to $18,000.
which put the Lodge well
on the way to achieving its
financial goal.
The new Community
Center will house a variety
of activities open to
community residents as
(Continued on Page 81