Riverhead is known for its Polish community (even has an area called Polish Town). Every summer, the town basically shuts down for this annual event. Visitors can find vendors of all sorts, including: food (both traditional Polish and fair favorites such as zeppoles), beverages (homemade lemonade and beers), and local businesses promoting their companies. Children can also take part in fun activities such as pony rides, a petting zoo, face painting, and even go on carnival rides. As you walk down the streets of Polish Town, you can hear polka music playing.
For more on the history of Polish Town http://www.polishtownusa.com/ptca/history.htm
For more about the Polish Town Fair http://www.polishtownusa.com/ptca/fair.htm
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This past weekend was rather eventful. For one there are technical upgrades in the 411 Highway Interceptor that we are testing out, fun stuff but they deserve their own post. But just know that they are fun and we are out there roaming the street searching for the treasures of history or whatever comes our way…mostly ice cream.
Now, back to library business, we visited the Legendary Battle of the Books, much like the Mint 400 there was no reasonable way of covering it. Here is their page. http://www.suffolk.lib.ny.us/youth/bb/
It was held in the Javits building at Stony Brook University, a large building shaped like a bunker and semi underground. The event is an all day affair so I knew I couldn’t make the evening events because I had tickets for the Roller Derby and coverage of the battle was a last minute decision.
The lobby of the building was filled with costumed participants, which I was not ready for…walking into a place and getting lost in a swarm of hippies doesn’t happen often at SBU, no, that’s not true, anyways… I had to locate my woman on the inside, she gave me the lead on the gig and could help me make sense of all this. After asking around I was lead to a back room in the rear of a huge auditorium where my friend was deliberating with other judges. I was greeted warmly then quickly ushered out, for judgment is serious business.
Later I learned that teens from 36 Suffolk County Libraries were participating in this event. There are two blocks of competition, four hours each. There are four rounds, twenty questions per round that covers any two of the eight books they have to know. There is also a costume contest, but these participants really work hard on getting to know their books, never mind they are doing this for fun during the summer.
This is a moment to step back a bit and think of the roles libraries play in society and what is it as a society we value. I know I went from 0 to deep, but play along. I value that these kids participated in this program, I didn’t know about it but now that I do I’m proud of all of them. I’m proud that they value reading to the point it is competitive, that displaying your intelligence is not only socially acceptable but valued in our society. Displaying your intelligence doesn’t have to be a soul sucking contest of intellectual micturating but a welcomed personal attribute, something akin to creativity.
Think about that around budget voting time.
Then it was off to pick up the co-pilot and our newest member Kamin (IT/Videographer/Automotive but plenty more on him later) and off to the Roller Derby. Now, there are many reasons I like the Roller Derby, for one unlike most sports this is played purely for the love of the game. It’s also highly stylized, colorful and fast paced, all the things associated with us here at Unit 411 (within all legal limits of course). But I didn’t know Roller Rebels has a press kit, you can see it here. http://longislandrollerrebels.com/2010LIRRpresskit.pdf
While you check out the cool things they’ve done for LI, we’ll plan more cool things here.
2010
Long Island GLBT Pride Parade
Maurer Foundation for Breast Health Education “Black Tie/Pink Ribbon” Fashion Show
7th Annual Ovarian Cancer 5 K Walk-a-thon in Memory of Marie S. Franck
Hampton Bays Middle School Assembly & Demonstration
2009
Long Island Blood Center’s Blood Drive
6th Annual Ovarian Cancer 5 K Walk-a-thon in Memory of Marie S. Franck
Veterans Place Charity BBQ
Food Drive Benefiting Island Harvest
Long Island GLBT Pride Parade
Charity Bout Benefiting Habitat for Humanity
and North Fork Breast Health Coalition
2008
Long Island GLBT Pride Parade
Charity Bout – Benefiting Schneider Children’s Hospital
Unit 411
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808 Man by KMD
