News & Press Releases 2020
December 17, 2020
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December 23, 2020
Dominican Village Residents Participate in the Annual Toys for Tots Drive
The residents and staff participated in the annual Toys for Tots Drive, coordinated through the offices of Assemblywoman Kimberly Jean-Pierre and Senator John Brooks. Dominican Village’s residents keep the magic of the season through the words of Frank Sinatra’s “Fairytales may come true, it can happen to you, if your young at heart.”
Pictured left to right: Meredith Kelly Dominican Village’s Community Relations Coordinator, Tom Prendergast Transportation Director & Emily Monem, Community Relations Director
December 21, 2020
100 YEARS BLESSED CELEBRATING HELEN GALLAGHER’S 100th BIRTHDAY
Helen Gallagher was born December 30,1920 to Marion and Thomas Lenahan on the Upper West Side of Manhattan. Her family, with 8 children, moved to Elmhurst and then to Jackson Heights. She graduated from Newtown High School in 1939 and started working for Horn and Hardart, famous for the Automat, and then for Bloomingdales, in the children’s department. She often told us of the many famous New Yorkers, who shopped there for their children.
Her marriage to Bill Rohrman in 1943, ended tragically in September of 1944, when he was killed at the battle of the Siegfried Line, in World War II. Helen married their friend, Bernie Gallagher, in 1950. They later moved to Jericho.
Helen was a founding mother for the Confraternity program at Saint Paul the Apostle Church in Brookville. She served as director of the program or 25 years, and was awarded the Saint Agnes Medal for service, by the Diocese of Rockville Centre in 1988.
She had no children. Helen’s 24 nieces and nephews were treated as her children. She has been living at Dominican village since 2006. Helen enjoys her life, her family, her friends, and her Irish heritage. She is everybody’s friend.
Help support…
PLEASE DROP OFF NEW AND UNWRAPPED TOYS
FOR CHILDREN OF ANY AGE.
BOX IS IN AMITY CENTER LOBBY.
WE WILL BE COLLECTING
UNTIL DECEMBER 17TH
December 4, 2020
Dominican Village Supports St. Martin’s Food Pantry
Now more than ever the Beatles lyric “I get by with a little help from my friends” rings true! Dominican Village’s residents and staff were happy to answer the call by donating non-perishable food items to St. Martins Food Pantry located in Amityville, NY.
Pictured left to right: Sister Marie Josee, St. Martin’s Parish Social Ministry Director, Meredith Kelly Dominican Village’s Community Relations Coordinator & Emily Monem, Community Relations Director
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September 23, 2020
CELEBRATING NANCY LEFTENANT-COLON’S 100th BIRTHDAY
Nancy Leftenant-Colon was born on September 29th, 1920 to James Sr. and Eunice Leftenant. One of 12 children, Nancy grew up poor and learned early on that determination and pride were essential survival skills. James and Eunice wanted their children to be bright, positive, and steadfast. Nancy is the epitome of her parent’s wishes. Aviation was in the family blood as Nancy’s brother; Sam Leftenant, was a pilot with the Tuskegee Airmen who saw extensive action in WWII. Sam Leftenant was shot down over Austria in April of 1945.
In January 1945, following her graduation from Lincoln School for Nurses, Bronx New York, Nancy volunteered for and was accepted into active duty as a Second Lieutenant in the United States Army Air Corps. Lt Leftenant’ s first assignment was at Lowell General Hospital. Fort Devens, Massachusetts. This nursing assignment was the forerunner to the integration of black nurses into the all-white medical units. Prior to this assignment, all black nurses were assigned from basic training to an all-black unit which was in Arizona.
It was in 1946 that Lt. Leftenant was assigned to the 332nd Station Medical Group at Lockbourne Army Air Base in Columbus, Ohio. It was during this assignment that Lt. Leftenant made her entry into history by becoming the first black nurse to be accepted, commissioned, and integrated into the regular Army Air Corps.
In 1947 she transferred to the Air-Force which was designated as a separate branch of the armed services. During 1953 – 1954, as a qualified Flight Nurse assigned to the 648 1st Medical Evacuation Group at Tachikawa, Japan, Capt. Leftenant supervised two or more technicians (depending upon the patient load) while evacuating patients intra-Japan, intra-Korea, from Japan to Okinawa and from Seoul, Korea to Tachikawa, Japan. All outbound cargo carrier aircraft upon return became inbound “Air Evacuation.”
Following the fall of Dien Bien Pu in 1954, Capt. Leftenant was assigned as a member of the first flight evacuation crew assigned to the C-124 Globemaster(s) used to evacuate the first 100 patients (French Legionnaires) from Saigon to Tachikawa, Japan.
Following military retirement (Chief Nurse, Major, USAFNC) Nancy returned to her hometown, Amityville, New York to continue in public service as a high school nurse from which she retired in June 1984.
In March 1985, the Amityville Free School District commemorated the thirtieth anniversary of Nancy’s appointment to the Regular Army Nurse Corps with a reception and a proclamation declaring the month of April as the Nancy Leftenant Colon Month; to be observed by the school community and to be discussed in the classroom as an event of historical significance to the nation and to the district.
Nancy Leftenant Colon served in the position of National Secretary for Tuskegee Airmen Incorporated (TAI), from 1978-1987. At the TAI Annual Convention in 1987, Nancy was duly elected to position of 1st Vice President, and in 1989, she was duly elected to the position of President of Tuskegee Airmen, Incorporated, the first woman to be elected to the position.
Mary Leftenant (Nancy’s sister) stated if life treated her unfairly, Nancy only gained strength, it made her a better person.
Dominican Village’s 2020 Money in the Bag Winners
1st Prize $5,000 ~ PATRICIA GAVAGHEN
2nd Prize $2,500 ~ DAVID & LORI VENUTI
3rd Prize $1,000 ~ SUE BREIT
4th Prize $750 ~ STEPHEN GAUGHRAN
5th Prize $500 ~ TRACY ONGENA
6th Prize $250 ~ ANNE KEEGAN
We want to take a moment and thank everyone for their support.
Dominican Village Commemorates National Assisted Living Week
A weeklong celebration kicked off on Sunday, September 13 and Dominican Village joined tens of thousands of assisted living communities across the country uniting with the “Caring is Essential” theme.
Sr. Maureen Muir, Chief Quality Officer, and Interim Chief Executive Officer stated “this year, COVID has been an enormous, unforeseen challenge that has resulted in every person working in long term care to step up and go above and beyond expectations. National Assisted Living Week highlights the incredible care provided by caregivers in assisted living facilities. It is a way to celebrate the dedication of staff, the individuality of residents, and the deep connections formed in these settings.”
While adhering to safety requirements and precautions in place for COVID, activities that were offered at Dominican Village included: Happy Hour & Pizza party at each resident’s apartment doorway and additional activities pertaining to the theme of the day. To celebrate diversity each day of the week there was a different ethnic-themed meal prepare by experienced chefs. The week ended with a Classic Car Parade giving the residents the opportunity to reminisce about the good ole days and their classic cars.
Sr. Maureen Muir stated, “Engaging with our residents, whether through a car parade, writing letters, or window visits can be a rewarding experience and makes a tremendous difference in the resident’s lives, especially during this time.” We encourage members of the community to keep in touch and visit Dominican Village’s social media pages to stay informed.
NATIONAL ASSISTED LIVING WEEK - A weeklong celebration kicked off on Sunday, September 13, and Dominican Village joined tens of thousands of assisted living communities across the country uniting with the “Caring is Essential” theme.
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August 21, 2020
A SALUTE TO OUR SENIORS
Dominican Village saluted our senior residents on Friday, August 21st for National Senior Citizens Day! Refreshments were hand-delivered to over one hundred residents. Staff celebrated each resident personally by “poppin - in” with a fresh bag of popcorn and a watermelon fruit cup to thank them for their contributions to our lives and their communities. “No one is Butter than our seniors!!!!.”
A fin-credible lineup for our Shark Week and Carnival/Circus fun days!
Themes are exciting and stimulating for our seniors. The staff creates fun, entertainment, laughter, and goodwill! Residents stated “It’s fun to see the staff in themed costumes and props.”
August 21, 2020
Grateful
Dominican Village is ever-so-grateful to Paul Block from Reddy-Care Physical & Occupational Therapy. Mr. Block showed his compassion and generosity on many occasions to Dominican Village’s Wellness staff by gifting over 100 gowns, gloves, and face guards. The protective gear and supplies are essential and much needed in protecting our senior residents- who are the most vulnerable to the Corona Virus.
August 13, 2020
Residents Stay Active While Adhering to Social Distancing Guidelines
Our Tight Knit Community knitting for a cause!
Residents keep it moving with a friendly game of Bocce.
July 22, 2020
New York State Department of Transportation Awards Dominican Village $270,000.00
In the Fall of 2017, the Development Department of Dominican Village wrote a New York State Department of Transportation (NYSDOT) grant to secure three new vehicles for our community.
Dominican Village is excited to announce the delivery of three 2019 vehicles. Our new fleet includes a 17-passenger bus, and 2 vans each outfitted with AbiliTrax flooring Platform. AbiliTrax allows for residents that are wheelchair-bound for medical transportation and accommodate small groups for activities.
July 22, 2020
ENS Security Supports Dominican village
During these challenging COVID-19 times, with safety and security protocols in mind, the donation of a State-of-the-Art thermal imaging camera has aided in the processing of staff and visitors entering our building. Dominican Village is grateful for the generous donation of a Dahua Thermal Temperature Monitoring by ENS Security located in Plainview.
The Dahua Thermal Temperature Monitoring System enables a contactless solution which does not require assistance of another individual and can be used for self-administration of temperature checks.
The device is supported by user friendly computer software that allows Dominican Village to download and store temperature check records of all visitors, staff, and residents. In the age of the pandemic, we believe the ability to check visitors/employees without adding additional exposure is paramount.
July 2, 2020
Cubii-Cares donates Cubii elliptical to Dominican Village!!
Residents wish to express their appreciation and gratitude to CubiiCares for their donation. Residents can easily pedal while sitting down on any chair with the Cubii. This compact elliptical machine has an ergonomic design to reduce joint stress and an assortment of tools and adjustable resistance levels to help customize a workout based on individual health and fitness needs.
Lena Prochilo was the first to give it a spin, and declared “it’s wonderful, I love it.”
June 30, 2020
Madlyn Cullen turns 100
Madlyn Cullen born in Bedford Stuyvesant, Brooklyn NY was one of two children; her only brother died when he was 66 years old. She attended St. Mary's Nursing school in Queens graduating in 1940 as WWll began. She stated, “It was rough – the doctors were busy with the war—we went right to work, just like today with the new doctors and nurses of 2020.”
She and John Thomas had 9 children “I took 16 years off to raise my children. She went back to work at age 63 at St. John’s Hospital in Queens. Both St. John’s and St. Mary’s are now closed Madlyn retired in 1989. “I loved every minute of nursing, there was not a day as a nurse that we didn’t have a good laugh, even in bad times.
Madlyn often read in the newspaper about converting Queen of the Rosary Academy an all-girl school to a senior residence, which is now Dominican Village. “I never imagined I would have been fortunate enough to live here. God smiled the day I moved in here, 10 years ago.”
Madlyn Cullen celebrating her 100-year birthday stated “I always believed in giving back, I think that is what kept me young. After retiring from nursing, I continued to volunteer three 3 times a week”
June 4, 2020
Dominican Village, founded by the Sisters of St. Dominic of Amityville, offers senior residents’ programs and services which foster independence, promote physical, mental, emotional and spiritual health, and maximize opportunities for socialization.
COVID-19 has not changed what we do, but how we do it! With safety measures in place, seniors exercise, meals are served, residents enjoy concerts, gardening and bocce, and staff supervise games all while social distancing and wearing masks.
None of this would be possible without the dedicated administrative and nursing staff who have gone above and beyond to keep residents safe and active. While Dominican Village is grateful for the many received donations of PPE, the need for masks, gloves and sanitizer continues.
What Can You Do to Help?
• You can make a monetary donation online to help Dominican Village by clicking here.
• If you have any questions about how to help by donating goods such as PPE supplies, please contact Emily Monem, Community Relations & Development Director at (631) 842-6618 or email emonem@dominicanvillage.org.
Let's continue to pray with and for each other and our world during this difficult time.
June 1, 2020
Special Visit
From left to Right: Dominican Village’s Staff Emily Monem Community Relations & Development Director, Toni Yarbrough HHA, Heidi Rios LPN; Emily from AHRC Nassau; Mariann DeMaio Nursing Supervisor; and Diane Ziems Director of Operations.
Dominican Village was visited by Emily a resident of AHRC Nassau. “Emily” in pink and blue shorts gives a thumbs up to our front-line workers. Dominican Village was touched by the visit and the basket of treats. Lynne Brewer (not pictured) AHRC Community Relations Liaison, stated for the past six weeks her students have been making baskets of homemade crafts and cards expressing their gratitude to the Front-Line workers! Dominican Village staff thanks AHRC of Nassau for the special treats and crafts.
May 21st 2020
Caitlyn Zuccaro found us on the Deaconess Healthcare website. A Deaconess like Caitlyn put people at the center of everything they do, making a positive difference in the lives of families, employees and community. Thank you for the handmade masks.
Photo Left to Right: Louise Perrotta, Secretary/Treasurer, of the North Amityville Kiwanis, Corinne Durante Dominican Village’s Reception Director, and Sister Catherine O’Shea, O.P., Dominican Village’s Administrative Assistant.
We are truly blessed to have such a friend---Louise always goes above and beyond to assist the staff and residents at Dominican Village. We thank North Amityville Kiwanis for the donation of masks.
Photo Left to Right: Dominican Village’s Community Relations Coordinator Meredith Kelly & A/P Finance Clare Pancoast
All the way from Huntington Beach, California Deaconess Debbie Granada - putting people at the center sends handmade masks to our frontline workers and staff at Dominican Village
Left to Right Dominican Village’s Staff: Nursing Supervisor Mariann DeMaio, John Walters, LPN, Heidi Rios, LPN and Shannel Archila, Wellness/Nursing Director.
Dominican Village’s Wellness Department extends their gratitude to Irena from Harbor Hills Pharmacy, Roslyn NY for the fantastic lunch donation.
May 14, 2020
Outpouring of Support
Attentive Care Really Cares! Without hesitation Gina & Beth were quick to order lunch for every staff member at Dominican Village from Panera Bread
Left to Right: Dominican Village’s Operation Director Diane Ziems, Beth & Gina from Attentive Care, DV Director of Wellness Shannel Archila and Case Manager Supervisor Heather Mahlstedt
The Bond Team Delivers!!! Milton & Luna Bond of Douglas Elliman-Babylon Village have strong bonds with the community they showed their appreciation to the Dominican Village’s staff for all they do to keep the residents healthy and safe.
Girls Scout Troop 2428 delivered handmade cards to Dominican Village for all our residents. The cards were full of hope and well wishes very much needed during this time.
Mother’s Day – May 6, 2020
Notification from: Dominican Village, Inc.
Good Afternoon,
We just want to remind you that Mother’s Day is this Sunday, and we encourage you to go to our website at www.domincanvillage.org, and upload any pictures you wish to send to Mom through the “Print Buddy” Icon so that they may receive those special pictures of you. It is a simple few steps that could mean the world to Mom.
Warm regards,
Dominican Village
May 4, 2020
Masks for Our Heroes
Meadowbrook Financial Mortgage Bankers Corp. raised funds to support the much-needed personal protection equipment for Dominican Village’s frontline workers and for our senior residents. Pictured in the Center Joe Peres from Meadowbrook Financial Corp and his colleagues raised enough funds to purchase four hundred N-95 masks. Dominican Village was humbled by the outpouring of generosity shown by the staff of Meadowbrook Financial Mortgage Bankers Corp and is grateful.
In the photo Left to right: Dominican Village Training Officer Ranita McLean, Joe Peres Mortgage Broker and Dominican Village’s Community Relations Director Emily Monem.
May 4, 2020
Amityville Chamber feeds 100 Healthcare Heroes
Amityville Chamber of Commerce and all the local organizations & businesses of Amityville Village came together to recognize the employees of Dominican Village. Dominican Village is an Independent and Assisted Living Residence located in Amityville, NY. Dominican Village is full of gratitude for the signs and the pizza!!
April 27, 2020
THE GEORGE WASHINGTON CARVER COMMUNITY COALITION INC. ASSISTS DOMINICAN VILLAGE
We appreciate their kindness and choosing to work with us in the time of need to providing the essential necessities to the staff and residents of the Dominican Village. We thank members Lloyd Robinson, Christopher and James Black for their tireless hours sewing 100 facial masks. The men stated, “Knowing that we are able help our communities is a delight, and we look forward to doing much more in the near future.”
The George Washington Carver Community Coalition Inc. is a nonprofit organization located in Wyandanch, NY. The organization is operated and managed by the George Washington Carver Lodge #95 who understand that every great community is made together, and that everyone has an essential role that makes a difference!
April 17, 2020
Dominican Village Party Parade Brigade!
Best of costumes, hats, props, megaphones, cow bells, whistles, and flags were carried by employees to show their deep love and commitment to our residents.
The Residents out on their balconies and others waving from their windows were overjoyed to see the staff.
In times like these we want to take a moment and thank the community
The call for assistance was answered! Dominican Village employees traveled to Fire Rescue Station in Yaphank where much needed supplies of gloves and mask were retrieved.
Our friends at Print Budii donated a photo kiosk for families and friends to send photos to their loved ones. These photos will be hand delivered by our staff to our residents. Print Budii’s mission is to send a Kodak Moment that brings joy and smiles.
Girls Scouts dropped off cookies to our Health Care workers and a very generous family member purchased pizza and refreshments for all the hard-working staff at Dominican Village.
We wanted THANK those who were thinking of us!
Dominican Village Families and friends are finding creative ways to communicate and show love to our senior residents in such creative ways! Standing outside of windows and singing Happy Birthday or just a simple Hello! Lots of facetiming and even delivery of uplifting artwork from children in the local community. These are the small gestures that are bringing hope and joy to the seniors at Dominican Village.
Just saying HELLO from the Orlando Family.
Delivery of uplifting artwork to residents from children in the local community.
The O’Grady Family standing outside of windows and singing happy birthday to Helen who just turned 87!
In our continuing pursuit of excellence in Person-Centered Care, Dominican Village has joined with the OTA Programs of Stony Brook University, Touro College and Suffolk County Community College to provide their students the opportunity to assist our Activities staff with programs that meet the social, cognitive and creative needs of our Residents, as well as suggesting activities that reinforce self-esteem and sense of purpose.
Messiah Reid, a Dominican Village Security Guard, graduated from the SCPD Explorers 1st Precinct Post #555 on January 24th, receiving the Law Enforcement Career Achievement Award, the highest national award a police explorer can reach.
Messiah completed hundreds of hours of explorer work, community service work and earned nine proficiency awards.
The Explorers program is a goal orientated program for individuals between the ages of 14 to 21, who may be interested in pursuing law enforcement as a career choice.
The program is sponsored by the Boy Scouts of America Learning for Life program and administered by the Suffolk County Police Department.
Congratulations Messiah!
