My Hometown

Bill Horan and Stacy Raine learn about the Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Community Center in Rockville Centre. Many know what Dr. King did in his lifetime, especially his “I Have a Dream” speech, but did you know there was a community center in our backyard named after him?  They learn more from Sharon Sheppard, Assistant Director, and Jaylen Benjamin, Activities Coordinator, at the Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Community Center.

Bill Horan and Stacy Raine learned that people in Freeport were upset when back in 2022, a very popular ice cream shop called Pip’s Ice Cream Parlor was forced to close to do storm damage from Superstorm Sandy and rising rent costs. But since 2024, it’s back, under a new name, thanks to an amazing local hero who helped financially and emotionally bring it back to life, now called Sam’s Scoops - located inside Sparkle on Stage Cultural Arts Center on Woodcleft Avenue in Freeport. They speak with Robyn Workman, the owner and proprietor of Sparkle on Stage Cultural Arts Center, and the biggest sponsor of Sam’s Scoops in Freeport.

Love is in the air! Bill Horan and Stacy Raine learn all about Long Island company WeekendDating.com - who has been organizing Long Island Speed Dating and Speed Dating N-Y-C events since 2003, resulting in at least 85 marriages and 13 children. They sponsor events that include speed dating, trivia nights, cultural events and much more.  They speak with Jay Rosensweig, the owner of WeekendDating.com.

Bill Horan and Stacy Raine learn about the Long Island based company called BEDGEAR.  They speak with Eugene Alletto, their CEO and Quarterback.  BEDGEAR has created over 280 global Patents, Trademarks and Patents-pending, developing the world’s only performance bedding brand.

Bill Horan and Stacy Raine learn about Wild Ones, a national non- profit organization with local chapters that promote the many benefits of landscaping using native plants such as wildflowers, shrubs, trees, and grasses. They speak with Wild Ones New York Metro Region’s president, Fred Nass, and Olivia Cunningham, who is a Community Hub Leader at Wild Ones for the towns of North Hempstead and Smithtown.

Bill Horan and Stacy Raine talk with John DeBacker - the Vice President of a foster based animal rescue group called Long Island Cat and Kitten Solution, with the goal to rescue and save as many animals as humanly possible.

Bill Horan (a Chaminade alum!) and Stacy Raine learn about a program at Chaminade High School in Mineola called The Flyer Partnership, with a goal to increase the daily interaction between special needs students and Chaminade’s student body so the students can learn transferable job skills. They speak with Carlo Mansueto, their Supervisor of Grounds, and Tina Smith, their Librarian, both of whom have worked with students in this amazing program.

Bill Horan and Stacy Raine talk with Lauryn Ciardullo from Valley Stream, who played Princess Jasmine and many other roles in the award- winning Broadway production of Aladdin as an original cast member and can be heard on the Original Cast Album and performed on the 2014 Tony Awards. BUT when Broadway closed its doors in March 2020, Lauryn started offering online song and dance classes which has now grown into a place for young performers to work on singing, acting and dance called ‘Class with Lauryn.’

We don’t usually think of Nassau County as a place for tourists since we LIVE here. But luckily, there are people that are paid to do so, for the people who DON’T live here to come and visit - or maybe, you can have a STAYCATION this winter. Bill Horan and Stacy Raine find out more from Kristen Stucchio-Suarez, Project Director at RRDA, the official tourism and promotions agency for Nassau County.

Bill Horan and Stacy Raine learn about an organization in Nassau County called Families For Inclusion - where they promote education about autism, neurodiversity, and inclusion in elementary schools, and to assist the process wherever they can.  They speak with Gina DeGregorio-Sonbert, the Founder of Families For Inclusion, and the author of a children's book series called Theodore Bearkins, about the first autistic, non-speaking main character in a children’s book where autism is NOT the focus of his tale.