Bethpage-Tribune_2007-07-27

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Operation Smile
Bethpage Resident Making a
Difference by Helping Children
Brad Jerson, a child life specialist in the
Department of Pediatrics at Stony Brook
University Medical Center and lifelong
Bethpage resident, was selected to join the
overseas mission of Operation Smile this
August to China. The mission will take place
in Urumqi, a small city in the Northwestern
region of China from August 8 through 15.
Operation Smile is a private not-for-prof­it
volunteer medical service organization
based in Norfolk, Virginia. Volunteer med­ical
professionals perform countless surger­ies,
free of charge, for children and young
adults suffering from correctable facial
deformities.
Since 1982, more than 100,000 children
have been treated by thousands of volunteers
in Central and South America, Africa,
Middle East, Eastern Europe and Asia and
thousands of healthcare professionals have
been trained globally to increase medical
sustainability in developing countries.
As part of their comprehensive approach
to care, Operation Smile volunteers include
surgeons, anesthesiologists, nurses, dentists,
speech therapists and certified child life spe­cialists.
During the mission, these medical
volunteers donate their time and skills to
provide life-changing surgery to those who
ive daily with the social stigma and isola­tion
that accompany cleft lips and palates.
This time can be especially stressful for chil­dren,
youth and their families. They may
experience fear, confusion, and unfamiliarity.
As the only Child Life Specialist on the mis­sion,
Brad's role will be to help children
understand what is happening to them by
providing preparation before, and psychoso­cial
support during and after surgery. In
addition, he will also provide a wide range
of play and other activities to help minimize
fear and stress.
Brad is eagerly anticipating this mission,
and would love to partner with the commu­nity
of Bethpage to demonstrate how this
collaboration can literally impact hundreds
of children, with approximately thirty sur­geries
scheduled each day, in addition to all
the pre-surgical screening.
Anyone interested in sponsoring part of
Brad's mission, to directly aid in supporting
the life altering experiences for the children
Brad meets in China, can contact him direct­ly
at Brad.Jerson@gmail.com, or for further
information about Operation Smile and
Child Life can visit www.operationsmile.org
and www.childlife.org.
Get Ready for Bethpage's
Biggest and Best Summer Event!
The Bethpage Chamber of Commerce
Summer Festival '07
August 17& 18 6pm-midnight
In less than three weeks the Bethpage Chamber of Commerce will host its annual Summer Festival which
will be taking place on August 17 and 18 in the south train station parking lot. This wonderful event begins
each night at 6pm and ends at midnight!
This year the Chamber of Commerce will be featuring more entertainment than ever as we will be showcas­ing
several high school bands which they are so excited about. In addition to those talented student bands the
Chamber will be featuring the music of a phenomenal band One Night Stand as well as the toe tapping tunes
of Bethpage's hometown DJ Vic Macaluso of Excalibur Entertainment!
As always the Chamber will treat festival-goers to delicious food and treats as well as vendor booths spon­sored
by our local merchants. And if you are a thrill seeker then they have some pretty daring rides to wet your
appetite compliments of our midway providers Newton Amusements and if it's fireworks that light up your life
then the Chamber has that covered too with their 5 star fireworks display produced by the world renowned Bay
Fireworks Company.
Aside from the wonderful entertainment, rides, food and fun a wonderful thing about this festival is that
year after year it has become a much anticipated Bethpage tradition. Residents plan their vacations around this
annual event as they want to be a part of this true community event. It is always so wonderful to see neighbors
and friends coming down to the fair to meet and have a good time and it is just as wonderful to see the children
and young adults of our community having a safe and fun time in their hometown.
This festival is something that the Chamber of Commerce is very proud of and it is something that every
resident of this community should take great pride in as well as this festival truly belongs to the Bethpage com­munity.
Look for more information as well as a discount coupon and full map of the festival in up and coming
Tribune's and mark your calendar for an event that has worked its way into the hearts of all Bethpage residents
Signs of the Times
Bethpage Speed Detection Signs Make Their Debut on Stewart Avenue
If you have driven on Stewart Avenue recently you should have noticed new speed detection signs which
have been erected along the Avenue. These new signs monitor the speeds of vehicles traveling in both direc­tions
on Stewart and are part of an effort to improve the safety of that treacherous strip of roadway. These signs
indicate the speed of vehicles and flash when drivers are exceeding the forty mile per hour speed limit. "These
signs really seem to work. Sometimes you don't realize how fast you are driving and when you see your speed
flashing in front of you it definitely makes you slow down and take it easy," stated a driver we stopped and
interviewed on Central Avenue, who was speeding and asked to be anonymous.
Although the signs are up and working they are not 100% operational. In addition to these speed detection
devices there will also be larger traffic lights installed along the route to further improve on the safety of the
roadway, which tragically has seen far too many accidents as well as fatalities in recent years. It is especially
important to increase safety on Stewart Avenue as it is a school zone leading to Bethpage High School as well
as Plainedge Middle School
In addition to these improvements the south portion of Stewart Avenue has been repaved through
Hempstead Turnpike and Cenral Avenue will also be paved to improve on the condition of the road. Further
paving on the north side of Stewart Avenue will hopefully occur during the next Nassau County capital
improvements phase.