Growing Demand of Families Struggling on Long Island, New York

Dear Friend,

Newsday's recent cover story, "Look Who Needs Help Now," may seem like an eye-opener, but sadly it is a situation with which we at Island Harvest are all too familiar.

With the cost of such essentials as home heating oil up 50%, gasoline up 21%, food staples up 18 - 22%, unrelenting taxes, and increasing mortgage payments - we find ourselves in a crisis that is compelling solidly middle class Long Islanders to turn to food pantries and other local charities for assistance with the basics.

We hear the stories every day - and have been hearing them for a while about the struggle working people must face to provide their families with nutritious meals to make it through a day. Demand for turkeys by our network of member soup kitchens, food pantries, and other agencies reached 22,000 last holiday season - a shocking 42% increase over the prior year.

As Long Island's largest hunger relief organization, we are supplementing over 5 million meals each year - yet it is still not enough to meet the growing demand of those struggling to make ends meet.

We continue to work hard to find creative ways to fill in the ever growing gap between the supply of donated food and demand for it - including securing commitments from new businesses and trucking in more food to Long Island from other parts of the country.

Your help is needed to address this not always visible, but serious and growing situation. You can help by making a contribution, volunteering, donating food, organizing a food drive, or getting your company or school involved with us. Our Web site offers many great suggestions on how you can get involved in the fight against hunger and food waste - and lend a hand to our neighbors in need.

Or if you want to talk to a person, you can call us at 516-294-8528.

Thank you for your concern and continued support as we work together in ending hunger and reducing food waste on Long Island.

Sincerely,
Randi Shubin Dresner
President and CEO


Island Harvest
199 Second Street
Mineola, N.Y. 11501 USA
516-294-8528

Island Harvest is a non-profit organization the bridge between those who have surplus food and those who need it. Our staff and volunteers “rescue,” or “collect,” good surplus food from over 600 retailers and wholesalers. Then, they deliver it, free of charge, to our network of 440+ soup kitchens, food pantries, shelters, Head Start programs, senior and community centers, and other places where those who need it can get it, all across Long Island, New York.

There are so many ways you can get involved with Island Harvest, from making a contribution or making a long-term investment by leaving Island Harvest in your will, becoming a volunteer, conducting a food drive or becoming a sponsor. For more information call 516-294-8528 or visit the website at www.islandharvest.org

Long Island's ''Feast of Feasts'' July 11-15, 2007 - Wellwood Ave. Lindenhurst, New York

OLPH International Feast 2007

Our Lady of Perpetual Help Church
2007 INTERNATIONAL FEAST
July 11-15, 2007

Celebrating it's 25th year, Our Lady of Perpetual Help(OLPH) Parish has expanded their annual feast making it bigger and better than ever! The festival committee has turned this local event into an International delight. More rides, more food, more vendors and more fun than before...

OLPH International Feast takes place on Wellwood Avenue in Lindenhurst, New York. Festival activies start on Wednesday, July 11, 2007 and run through Sunday, July 15, 2007.

The International schedule of events include Polish, Irish, Italian, American and German themed nights. Rides, games and attractions. Expanded vendor area with an assortment of ethnic inspired foods and specialty items. Air-conditioned Vegas area located in the School will be open every evening. Live music and entertainment is scheduled for each themed evening.

Polish Night - Wednesday, 7/11/07
Celebrate your Polish heritage on Wednesday July 11th, or learn about Polish tradition at the OLPH International Feast's Polish Night. Dance to the music of Polka band "Retro" performing live on stage in the entertainment area. Dine under the stars in the food court where Polish delicacies include pierogies and kielbasa. Enjoy all the other foods and browse through the specialty showcase items in the vendor area.

Special Benediction, Procession and Blessing begins at 5:00pm from the Church led by Monsignor Rev. Daniel S. Hamilton. The United States Marine Corp. will be making a special appearance providing the color guard for the opening ceremony!



Irish Night - Thursday, 7/12/07
OLPH International Feast's Irish Night celebrates and honors the Irish with music, dancing and delicious Irish food on Thursday. A changing of the flag ceremony followed by the Award Winning New York Shields. Gerry Finlay and the Cara Band will be performing live on stage in the entertainment area.

Irish delicacies, including corned beef and cabbage as well as other delicious ethnic food will be served in the food court. Additional vendor areas with ethnic inspired specialty items make this a fun-filled evening with a bit of the Irish for everyone.


Italian Night - Friday, 7/13/07
Dance "The Tarantella" when the OLPH International Feast Italian Night takes place on Friday, July 13, 2007. A changing of the flag ceremony will be held at the beginning of the evening. Enjoy live music in the entertainment area and stroll through the vendor areas for all things Italian.

Delicious food prepared by Joe's Italian Deli will be served in the outside eatery. Sausage and peppers, peaches and wine, cannoli, funnel cakes, ice cream and other ethnic treats. So, bring the family and don't miss this fun-filled evening when lil' Little Italy comes to Lindenhurst, New York.


American Night - Saturday, 7/14/07
Rock n' Roll American Style on Saturday, July 14, 2007 with special showcase 50's Band "The Beltones" at the OLPH Annual Feast. A changing of the flag ceremony takes place at the beginning of the night. Savor a variety of foods along Wellwood Avenue in Lindenhurst. Vendor areas with ethnic specialty items on sale as well rides, games and attractions. It's American, it's International, it's fun for all ages and backgrounds.




International Fair and German Day & Night - 7/15/07
The final day of the OLPH International Feast, Sunday, July 15th, 2007, will be one to remember with the biggest addition in 25 years. Wellwood Avenue from West Gates to Hoffman Avenue in Lindenhurst will be shut down for the International Street Fair! Fun filled activities begin at 10am and last until the festival closing bell at 9pm. The street fair features hundreds of vendors with food, crafts and novelty items.

The changing of the flag ceremony starts off the evening for German night. Live music in the entertainment area by long-time favorite performers, "The Spitzbaum". Knockwurst, Bratwurst, Sauerkraut and Potato Pancakes are on the menu at the outside eatery as well as other ethnic treats.

Our Lady of Perpetual Help International Feast features rides, games and attractions. Vendor area with an assortment of ethnic inspired food and specialty items. Air-conditioned Vegas area located in the School will be open every evening. Live music and entertainment is scheduled for each themed event.

For general information visit the OLPH International Feast Website
OLPH Feast Coordinator 516-242-9531.
Vendor space available 631-539-4942.

OLPH International Festival is sponsored by:
LongIsland.com, Walk 97.5 FM, Artusa Construction, Four Seasons Sunrooms, Manhattan Beer Distributor, Pepsi Cola, Joe's Italian Market, Johnstons' Funeral Home, Lindenhurst Funeral Home, OLPH Kinghts of Columbus, The Cannoli Factory, OLPH Holy Name Society, OLPH Parents Association, Allstar Midway, Carnival Amusements, Sal's Fruit Tree, All County Business Machines, Eye Values, Inc., Johnny Mica, Inc. Ridgewood Savings Bank, Giannini Landscaping and Babylon Dental Care.

Special thanks to contributors, vendors and volunteers, the OLPH Feast Committee, The Incorporated Village of Lindenhurst as well as the church staff for helping to make this event possible.

Our Lady of Perpetual Help Church 210 S Wellwood Avenue Lindenhurst, NY 11757 Rectory Phone: 631-226-7725 OLPH School 240 S Wellwood Avenue Lindenhurst, NY 11757 School Phone: 631-226-0208

Important Information About the Pet Food Recall

By Dennis Leon, DVM

As everyone probably knows by now, there is a nationwide recall on specific canned dog & cat foods manufactured by Menu Foods and sold under various other brand names. Affected pets seem to have signs and symptoms of kidney disease, including, but not limited to anorexia, lethargy and vomiting. A complete list of foods currently affected by this mass recall can be found at:

http://www.menufoods.com

Most of the foods affected are cheaper "supermarket brand" foods, but included on the list are a few manufacturers who sell "premium" foods: Iams, Eukanuba, Science Diet and Nutro. Not all of their foods are affected by the recall -only specific canned foods produced at a specific plant in Kansas within a certain date range. More specific info can be found at the following sites:

http://us.iams.com/iams/...

http://www.hillspet.com/menu_foods/...

http://www.nutroproducts.com/menufoods.asp

Menu Foods says they have narrowed down the culprit to wheat gluten, an ingredient used in the affected foods. They had a "new" distributor for wheat gluten at their Kansas manufacturing plant between 12/3/06 and 3/6/07. It is unclear at this time what other foods were manufactured in this time range using wheat gluten from the same source. Other manufacturers and brand names of food may or may not be recalled as more information is gathered.

If you have any of these affected foods with matching date and plant codes, discontinue feeding them immediately. Iams, Eukanuba, Science Diet and Nutro all carry a 100% guarantee, so you will get refunded for the food. I have also been advising clients to discontinue feeding (or eating?) ANY food containing wheat gluten until the food companies and FDA sort out this whole issue.


For more information, contact:
Dennis Leon, DVM
Levittown Animal Hospital
2703 Hempstead Turnpike
Levittown, NY 11756
516-796-2266

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Dr. Dennis Leon is the owner and chief veterinarian at Levittown Animal Hospital. After working in a variety of small animal practices since 1992, he earned his veterinary degree from Cornell University in 2001. Following his veterinary education, Dr. Leon worked in a busy multi-doctor practice in Hayward, CA, where he also served as a veterinary consultant to the City of Hayward Animal Services Bureau, Hayward Animal Shelter, Alameda County Animal Control and San Leando Animal Shelter. His professional interests include preventative medicine, anesthesiology, pain management, kidney disease and and obesity treatment.