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Politics & Government

Legion Lets Its Hair Down at Labor Day BBQ

Gus Scutari playing the kazoo was one of the highlights.

If you heard music coming down Berry Hill Road Sunday afternoon, it was longtime Syosset resident Frank Rapuano playing accordion and singing standards at the American Legion Labor Day picnic.

Rapuano, an accountant for Cablevision, loves to play music ,especially big band ballroom classics.

Close to 100 folks–including family members and friends of the 162 veterans from Eugene S. Smith Post 175–enjoyed the barbecue.

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New York City fireman Chris Young was behind the outdoor grill cooking hamburgers, hot dogs, marinated chicken and corn on the cob. Children and grandchildren played bocce ball and horseshoes.

Nicholas Bartilucci, a member of the American Legion for 12 years, shared the reason behind the annual celebration.  

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"The Labor Day picnic is always open to the public, mostly with family members and friends attending," says Bartilucci, chairman of the board for the Jericho Water District and judge advocate for the Legion chapter. "As an integral part of the community, the American Legion believes it's an opportunity to bring the community together on national holidays." 

Richard Meinhardt, who served in Vietnam from 1961 to 1964 on the USS Forrestal, is a longtime Syosset resident has been a member for 10 years.  House Chairman Meinhardt (he calls himself chief cook and bottle washer) conducts much of the behind the-scenes-logistics buying supplies for the Legion.

"It's for the guys and their family and friends," Meinhardt said, who is also a volunteer fireman at the South Oyster Bay Road location. "Syosset's been great to us.  We have much support from Senator Carl Marcellino, Councilman Chris Coschignano, Supervisor John Venditto and Legislator Judy Jacobs, which we appreciate."

Charles Lavine, the 13th Assembly District representative encompassing parts of Syosset and Woodbury gave a quick speech thank the members for their service, and "Thank you for what the American Legion does for the community and youth organizations, too." 

"I've been a member for 20 years and we always had a Labor Day picnic that I remember," said Korean War veteran Guy Cullen. "In all those years, it only rained once. Then it was actually held on Labor Day."

Eighty-nine-year old Gus Scutari, first vice commander and membership chairman of Post 175, finished off the afternoon playing the kazoo with Rapuano on accordion.  They performed duets of "All of Me" and "Bye, Bye, Blackbird" as another summer started to wind down in Syosset.

Created by Congress in 1919, the American Legion is the nation's largest patriotic veterans organization devoted to mutual helpfulness mentoring and sponsorship of youth programs and devotion to our fellow service members and veterans.  The American Legion is a nonpartisan, not-for-profit organization with grass-roots heart to influence legislation in Washington. 

 The American Legion holds 2.6 million members throughout 14,000 worldwide posts (55 various departments including one for each state, D.C., Puerto Rico, Mexico and the Philippines).  The Legion isn't about politicking but is issue-driven to improve the quality of the lives and rights of veterans. They rely on membership and greatly need the community's help and support. The American Legion: www.legion.org. Post 175, 68 Berry Hill Rd., Syosset, NY 11791, 516-921-7933.

 

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