who earned a degree in psychology from the College of the Holy Cross in 1995 will give a talk as part of a psychology colloquium titled “Social Cognition in the First Year,” on April 3 at 4 p.m The talk is free and open to the public.Striano is researching social cognition in infants between birth and 12 months trying to understand how they detect and process emotions especially those that play a role in interpersonal interactions Part of her research involves examining the neural systems that are involved in processing affective states including brain systems that might be associated with atypical patterns of development such as autism.Striano received her Ph.D was head of the career development group on cultural ontogenesis at the Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology in Leipzig and is now head of the research team for neurocognition and development at the Max Planck Institute for Human Cognitive and Brain Sciences and at Leipzig University’s Centre for Advanced Studies.In 2004 Striano was awarded the prestigious Sofja Kovalevskaja Prize by the Alexander von Humboldt Foundation of Germany “to young scientists and scholars from abroad with outstanding research records.” 1 College StreetWorcester, MA 01610508-793-2011hcmag@holycross.edu then worked for Italian industrial group Manuli Rubber and subsequently joined eyewear and optics giant EssilorLuxottica overseeing manufacturing plants and their staff in locations all over the world Promote your business to the localized audience you want to reach with Miami's Community Newspapers. Call 305.669.7355 or view our Media Kit. .st1{fill-rule:evenodd;clip-rule:evenodd;fill:#2a2a2a}By John Lewis | For NJ Advance MediaNina Striano had a pair of hits and drove in three runs as third-seeded Jackson defeated sixth-seeded Barnegat in a quarterfinal-round contest at the Ocean County Tournament at Adventure Sports in Jackson Jackson will face 10th-seeded New Egypt in the semifinal round Alexandra Santos and Victoria Marconi also had two hits each for the Jaguars Emily Hersh earned the pitching win with six strikeouts in five innings John Lewis can be reached at hssports@njadvancemedia.com The N.J. High School Sports newsletter is now appearing in mailboxes 5 days a week. Sign up now! Follow us on social: Facebook | Instagram | X (formerly Twitter) Use of and/or registration on any portion of this site constitutes acceptance of our User Agreement, (updated 8/1/2024) and acknowledgement of our Privacy Policy, and Your Privacy Choices and Rights (updated 1/1/2025) © 2025 Advance Local Media LLC. All rights reserved (About Us) The material on this site may not be reproduced except with the prior written permission of Advance Local Community Rules apply to all content you upload or otherwise submit to this site YouTube's privacy policy is available here and YouTube's terms of service is available here Ad Choices Please select what you would like included for printing: Copy the text below and then paste that into your favorite email application Antoinette grew up in Braintree and moved to Weymouth when she married her first husband She was an excellent cook and enjoyed ballroom dancing She was also a member of the Weymouth Garden Club She was the wife of the late William Striano and the late Victor Solimini Daughter of the late Inez and Carlo Carlozzi Karlberg and her late husband Gordon and William Striano Devoted grandmother of Kerrianne Fraser and her husband Robert; Kevin Karlberg and his wife Melanie; Savannah Striano; and great granddaughter Olivia Karlberg Also survived by Vito Solimini’s family and many nieces and nephews Relatives and friends are respectfully invited to greet the family during the visiting hours on Wednesday 6/21 from 4-8 PM in the McDonald Keohane Funeral Home EAST WEYMOUTH at 3 Charles Street (corner of Charles & Middle Street) A Celebration of Life Service will be held in the funeral home at 9:45 AM on Thursday prior to the Funeral Mass in Immaculate Conception Church Donations in memory of Antoinette may be made to the American Cancer Society Enter your phone number above to have directions sent via text This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply Service map data © OpenStreetMap contributors This website is using a security service to protect itself from online attacks The action you just performed triggered the security solution There are several actions that could trigger this block including submitting a certain word or phrase You can email the site owner to let them know you were blocked Please include what you were doing when this page came up and the Cloudflare Ray ID found at the bottom of this page Register for a free basic membership to enjoy up to 5 free articles per month In an attempt to oversee and streamline its manufacturing processes French luxury brand Dior has established a new industrial department The newly set up department will be headed by newly appointed Giorgio Striano As the luxury industry faces a massive slump management of the production process and supply chain plays a pivotal role The in-house industrial division is aimed at providing long-term production benefits and to “ensure the continuity of its know-how,” Christian Dior Couture stated in a press release The LVMH luxury group tapped on Essilor Luxottica’s veteran Striano has been appointed as the new Chief Industrial Officer and he will be reporting directly to the Chairman and CEO Delphine Arnault Striano has previously worked with Essilor Luxottica for nine years as their COO he was involved in major industrial operations By integrating production into its own ateliers Dior seeks to provide sustainably support throughout the production units and ensure all ethical regulations are being followed and the creativity and craftmanship of the brand is not compromised The brand has appointed Nicolas Carré as industrial director for leather goods further strengthening its commitment to craftsmanship and innovation With these strategic appointments and the establishment of the new industrial department Dior reinforces its position as a leading luxury brand dedicated to excellence and sustainability Providing you real time insights and updates into the key driving factors collaborations and events in the fashion industry and website in this browser for the next time I comment Stay updated on your topics of interest with our handpicked news and articles Dior is doubling down on its commitment to ethical production and artisanal craftsmanship with the launch of a new industrial department aimed at bolstering in-house manufacturing and safeguarding its heritage The move comes in the wake of a scandal involving subcontractors in Italy earlier this year The French luxury house announced that Giorgio Striano formerly chief operating officer at EssilorLuxottica will lead the new department as chief industrial officer starting Jan chairman and CEO of Christian Dior Couture Striano will oversee all industrial activities from his base in Milan “This initiative ensures our production processes not only align with ethical regulations but also uphold Dior’s exceptional savoir-faire and creativity,” said Arnault Dior has also appointed Nicolas Carré as industrial director for leather goods who spent over two decades at Louis Vuitton who transitions to the role of industrial projects director reflecting Dior’s focus on the Italian hub of luxury production These appointments come after Dior vowed to increase in-house production following investigations by Italy’s competition authority into alleged worker exploitation at subcontracted firms Dior committed to integrating more of its manufacturing into its ateliers and enhancing working conditions “Dior will continue to offer the best working conditions to all who contribute to the creation of our products ensuring their remarkable knowhow is preserved,” the company stated By expanding its in-house production capabilities Dior aims to align its manufacturing processes with the highest ethical standards while reinforcing its position as a leader in luxury craftsmanship Community Newspapers recently hosted a breakfast featuring Christopher Striano Chief Operating Officer of Global Finance and Chief Financial Officer of Blackstone Private Equity Strategies As guests enjoyed coffee and pastelitos at Casa Cuba Striano shared some important insights into Blackstone’s growing investment in South Florida “We’ve expanded our Miami office to more than 250 employees and we want to continue growing,” said Striano “We’re especially focused on hiring local talent from the Miami area close to 80% of our employees are engaged in Blackstone’s initiatives to give back to the community I expect this number to continue to increase just as it has over the past four years.” Blackstone is the world’s largest alternative asset manager with more than $1 trillion under management 230 portfolio companies and management of $243 billion in assets under management from the private wealth channel “We’re not only focused on acquiring talent in Miami but also on building a strong culture and ensuring that our people have opportunities to advance We want employees to see their future at Blackstone in Miami,’ said Striano look no further than Miami Community Newspapers This Miami online group of newspapers covers a variety of topics about the local community and beyond Miami’s Community Newspapers offers daily news podcasts and other multimedia content to keep readers informed With topics ranging from local news to community events Miami’s Community Newspapers is the ideal source for staying up to date with the latest news and happenings in the area and local initiatives within its respective community Additionally, the newspaper has exclusive Miami community podcasts, providing listeners with an in-depth look into Miami’s culture. Whether you’re looking for local Miami news, or podcasts, Miami’s Community Newspapers has you covered. For more information, be sure to check out: https://communitynewspapers.com feel free to email Michael@communitynewspapers.com or Grant@communitynewspapers.com Following a scandal involving suppliers in Italy the French luxury house Dior wants to take over a larger part of its own production chain According to a report from industry magazine WWD the company has announced the creation of a new industrial department which will aim to strengthen production capacities in the long term and ensure the continuity of artisanal know-how The new department will be headed by Giorgio Striano who will take over as chief industrial officer from January 2 Striano will be responsible for all industrial activities at Dior and will report directly to CEO Delphine Arnault He will also join the French house's executive committee where he served as chief operating officer for nine years He previously held senior positions in large industrial companies having started his career at the consumer goods group Procter & Gamble Nicolas Carré will also be part of the newly created department he will take over the position of industrial director for Leather Goods Shoes and Costume Jewellery from Patrice Guillemin who will become director of industrial projects who is moving to Dior from the LVMH brand Louis Vuitton a role in which he was responsible for the leather goods and accessories divisions he was group development manager for the women's leather collections and headed the brand's Atelier d'Asnières FashionUnited has asked Dior for a comment FashionUnited uses AI language tools to speed up translating (news) articles and proofread the translations to improve the end result This saves our human journalists time they can spend doing research and writing original articles Articles translated with the help of AI are checked and edited by a human desk editor prior to going online If you have questions or comments about this process email us at info@fashionunited.com passed away after his courageous battle with liver cancer on Thursday 1938 in West Paterson (Woodland Park) to the late Peter and Anna Striano.  He was one of five siblings his brothers Henry and James.  Peter resided in Ramsey NJ for 40+ years with the love of his life and #1 Lady Peter is survived by Barbara Trent with whom he spent 42 devoted years sisters Linda DeLuccia and Alex of Woodland Park NJ.  Cherished Grandfather (Papa Pete) of Timothy and Derek Ricci; Anthony and Mya Wiegers.  Lastly and friends who he enjoyed spending time with Peter was a Veteran of the United States Army stationed in Germany for two years.  Before retirement he was employed by American Cyanamid Company NJ as a Security Fire and Safety Inspector for 17 years.  Prior to Cyanamid we was an Undercover Investigator for Pinkerton Company Peter was an avid bowler with the Cy-Wayne bowling league for decades after retirement up until recently.  Outdoor activities were his passion which included trout stream fishing and gardening.  You could always find him the happiest outside tending to his bountiful vegetable and flower gardens Peter and Barbara travelled extensively cruising to Italy Hawaii along with many other destinations.  He truly enjoyed playing the slot machines in Vegas and running wild throughout Atlantic City especially Oceans Resort.  He will be greatly missed and remembered always Image: djcodrin / FreeDigitalPhotos.net When Cindy Striano thinks back over the many months of the pandemic she knows a silver lining has been the teamwork with her co-workers “It has been an amazing process to see,” says Striano a registered nurse and Caldwell’s executive director of health services “We’ve never collaborated like this before This really puts the students’ best interest first.”  Since March of 2020 she has been working with the administration and Pandemic Response Team to implement a strong plan to ensure the health and safety of the campus community reaching out to students to give them the help and guidance they need and learning all she can about the virus She remembers one late night during the COVID-19 lockdown when she needed to make “one more call” to a student and her husband told her she would need a reasonable “cut-off” time for calling students at night.  Not so easy during a COVID-19 pandemic.   Striano took an all-day contact tracing course with Johns Hopkins “Medicine has always done contact tracing,” so that was not new “I had to learn to give up a little control and allow others to help with doing the contact tracing,” says Striano “I wanted everyone to be assured that positive cases were managed through a thoughtful process.”  She is proud of how the Caldwell community has met the challenges in following the public health guidance and how she and her team have worked with the Health Department in Bloomfield   “The only way this works is when everyone takes personal responsibility.”  She points to proof that the process is  working “That’s clear because we have had such a great response as far as our caseload and minimal  outbreaks.” She gives credit to the students who have had to quarantine “They have done it and understand how important it is to do it.”  Striano worked as a charge nurse on a hospital floor in hospital administration and in private practice her office was in Mother Joseph Residence Hall and she worked from 4 to 9 two nights a week She was nine months pregnant and had a 3-year-old at home Those two “kids” are now in the medical profession her daughter as a dentist and her son an orthopedic surgeon.   Striano is energized by the university atmosphere and the college age community.  “Students are smart mature and there is also a lot of room for learning how to care for themselves.”   In addition to the COVID-19 responsibilities Striano manages the care of students who are ill or injured and the overall wellness of the campus community which includes health education and making sure students have proper immunizations We stay pretty firm to those for everybody.” The results show since Caldwell has not had the measles and meningitis cases some other campuses have faced Striano’s goal is for students to graduate well versed in how to access health care and give themselves the best care to stay well It is her nature to want to do it for others but when it comes to students who are patients she believes in helping them learn by letting them walk through the steps themselves.  “I often have to remind myself that what is best for them is for me to teach them how to care for themselves when ill so that going forward they will have an understanding of how to seek good health care as a consumer.”   “Going forward” is something she thinks about quite a bit these days—going forward and out of the pandemic many important lessons have been learned.  Seeing how faculty and staff in different departments work together and trust each other reminds her that Caldwell is a community “I have always known that … but to have survived this and worked so collaboratively is the best example we will ever see of how this community can work together and survive anything.” And that will stick long after masks come off and people can sit up close to each other “There have been bridges built that will never come down.”  Caldwell University does not discriminate on the basis of race or any other characteristic protected by applicable law in administration of its educational policies and athletic and other school-administered programs Find out the answers to these questions and more with Psychology Today Psychology Today Blog: Smart Families is a researcher affiliated with the Research in Developmental Disorders Lab at Ghent University where she studies autism spectrum disorder Her doctoral research focused on social referencing and word-learning in typical and atypical development She advises broadly in the field of social cognition research She graduated from The College of the Holy Cross and obtained her Ph.D in cognition and development from Emory University She was the recipient of the '04 Sofja Kovalevskaja Research Prize of the Alexander von Humboldt Foundation the Sancte Crucis Award of the College of the Holy Cross research grants from the German Research Foundation She was also head of the Cultural Ontogeny Group at the Max Planck Institute for Cultural Ontogeny Head of the Research Group on Neurocognition and Development at the Max Planck Institute for Human Cognitive and Brain Sciences and Center for Advanced Studies at the University Leipzig Psychology Today © 2025 Sussex Publishers Psychology Today Blog: Smart Baby She is the author of Doing Developmental Research The Suffolk Times I’m the owner of Salty Roots and we are based in Mattituck Salty Roots is a garden and landscape design company Being outside is a pretty awesome part of our job but we do have aspects that involve being at a desk Sometimes I’ll be doing design at my computer and research Sometimes we’re going to meetings with clients or going to check on gardens making sure everyone’s homes are looking happy and healthy We work closely with clients to have their visions come to life if they have them and if not We try to source locally and we work organically We try to provide things for the pollinators to keep literally everybody happy The homeowners and the butterflies and the bees I originally worked for one year with Judy Plant who used to be a garden and landscape designer out here She asked me if I wanted to take over the business I was passionate about gardening but hadn’t been doing it for work I did the Master Gardener program here at the Cornell Cooperative Extension I also completed the horticultural program at the Brooklyn Botanic Garden I had a balcony and I always had a lot of plants on the balcony That’s where my passion for container gardens started I still love doing them because you can really control and manipulate when you’re working in a container and my balcony garden turned into a large landscape That’s what I was doing before when we decided to move out here meeting with someone and trying to figure out what they want and helping them bring that to life through design is a really enjoyable part about what we do “The Work We Do” is a Suffolk Times multimedia project profiling workers on the North Fork made possible by Peconic Landing.tara a number of medical school students choose to devote a year to a special research project or a fellowship to help prepare themselves for a medical career “Students generally return to medical school reassured that they’ve chosen the right career path for them,” says James Hill associate dean of student affairs at New Jersey Medical School “They have the advantage of having worked somewhat independently and experienced being part of a team making a difference in people’s lives or in meaningful research endeavors They have a better idea of what to anticipate when they graduate from medical school.” Every year, 20 to 35 students at each Rutgers medical school – Robert Wood Johnson Medical School (RWJMS, enrollment: 684) and New Jersey Medical School (NJMS enrollment: 738) – secure student scholar domestic or international projects most taking the year away after their third year "I plan to incorporate research into my career as an HIV primary care physician and this past year allowed me to build a strong foundation of research development and execution," Imp says "I learned how to be confident in my research and how to write a manuscript for publication." pursuing a doctorate as well as a medical degree at NJMS at the National Institutes of Health’s National Center for Advancing Translational Science focusing on efforts to strengthen clinical trials and increase his exposure to health care policymaking “I am studying whether trials proposed are relevant to a prevalent disease,” he says “We want to understand what’s worked in the past and how to apply it to make translational research more efficient today we will lobby federal agencies for additional money.” approaching the end of a student scholar apprenticeship in November is working partly on an organic Hunterdon County farm learning the farming business and partly with a Morris County physician learning to use nutrition as a tool of medicine an NJMS assistant professor of clinical medicine she works with patients committed to plant-based diets Brendan Striano wanted to prepare himself for clinical research the reason the RWJMS student chose to spend his student scholar year at Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia where he is currently a Ben Fox research fellow His focus is to develop and publish research papers from clinical questions generated from discussions during surgical rounds and meetings with the clinical research team His role also includes data collection and analysis “I like the autonomy this provides,” Striano said “I can generate my own research questions and suggest ideas for research papers.” What appeals to many in the student scholar program is the freedom they have to create learning experiences based on their own career direction RWJMS senior associate dean for education and associate dean for admissions “All students are encouraged to make their medical education experience as fulfilling as possible in a way they choose,” says Terregino “The student scholar year can lead to publishing opportunities and acceptance into highly competitive residencies and it generally gets our students even more excited about the careers they are about to begin.” Rutgers is an equal access/equal opportunity institution. Individuals with disabilities are encouraged to direct suggestions, comments, or complaints concerning any accessibility issues with Rutgers websites to accessibility@rutgers.edu or complete the Report Accessibility Barrier / Provide Feedback form Copyright ©2025, Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey. All rights reserved. Contact webmaster gets a congratulatory shoulder bump by brother Dom Striano #58 after making a tackle in their team's 27-7 win over Seaford in the Nassau County football Conference IV final at Shuart Stadium in Hempstead on Friday have spent their lives playing pickup football in the backyard but on Friday night that game moved under the lights at Hofstra as all three left their mark on the Seahawks’ 27-7 victory over Seaford in the Nassau Conference IV championship “It’s beautiful because everyone gave it their all and it was so much fun,” Richie Striano said “And when you’re playing with your brothers you can’t ask for anything better than that.” led the charge on the offensive side of the ball Richie finished with a team-high seven tackles All three brothers often found themselves on the field at the same time and although they got support from the Cold Spring Harbor faithful I can turn around and I see Richie with a big hit or I see Pete with a sack or a tackle for a loss The Strianos have spent all season together watching film and fine-tuning their tackling technique They also have a pregame tradition that may be a little unexpected; they drink Pedialyte a must if the triplets are going to play to their potential jumpstarting a Cold Spring Harbor defense that shut Seaford out in the first three quarters and held the Vikings to 277 total yards “Our defensive line got great penetration,” Richie said “We had a little fire in our bellies and I think that put us over the edge.” After helping Cold Spring Harbor capture its first county title since 2005 the Strianos are anxious to get back on the field cheering each other on and tackling as hard and often as possible “We’re just thinking about LICs,” Peter said “We put our work in during the offseason and now it’s paying off.” The Newsday app makes it easier to access content without having to log in Unlimited Digital AccessOnly 25¢for 6 months Wearing a tan suit jacket and a white dress shirt Dustin Jaye stood expressionless as the court clerk read his first-degree murder verdict Jaye's attorney bowed his head and buckled his knees but the 25-year-old Jaye kept looking forward without a hint of emotion the North Fort Myers man took one last look in the courtroom before leaving with deputies Jaye will face a life-prison sentence after a jury found him guilty Thursday of first-degree murder Jaye broke into Russell Myers' Three Oaks home with his uncle Billy Ray Retherford Jr in July 2012 and killed Myers' live-in girlfriend was looking for $8,000 he thought Myers had in the house Retherford died in a 2012 shootout with federal officers The jury returned the verdict in three hours Thursday after three days of testimony "The state attorney's office put in a lot of effort and time," prosecuting attorney Cynthia Ross said "The state had a great deal of evidence at the crime scene I think more than anything we'd like to give (Striano's family) closure." Jaye's attorney Ed Kelly said there is no credible evidence Jaye entered Striano's house Kelly said his client didn't leave any DNA in Retherford's truck or burn his shoes after the homicide and place them in his air conditioning vent Kelly blamed the crime on Retherford and Jaye's sister was in a relationship with Myers and had sent messages asking if he was going to "get rid of" Striano Myers testified he and Allison were discussing if he was going to end his relationship with Striano "Allison has every reason to lie," Kelly said "She has every reason to burn the shoes and put them in the air vent because she didn't want to get charged with murder." Prosecuting attorney Andreas Gardiner said the evidence "screams Dustin Jaye was involved." A Florida Department of Law Enforcement agent testified a shirt found in Retherford's truck had a mixture of DNA from Jaye Jaye was found with three scratches on his right shoulder after the homicide which the state says came in a struggle with Striano Jaye's white shoes matched a footprint at the crime scene a Florida Department of Law Enforcement agent testified A knife used in the homicide matches the knives at Jaye's home The knife's blade and handle were found in bushes near Jaye's house Allison Jaye testified her brother wanted to rob Myers who talked about making $8,000 on a recent home sale A Lee County prisoner Brian Frost testified Jaye detailed the whole crime to him Jaye made a jailhouse call to his mother and sister eight days after the homicide saying "An innocent man doesn't say I can beat it," Gardiner said He never told his own mother he didn't do it." Kelly claimed detectives were going to charge Allison Jaye in the crime if she didn't implicate her brother detectives also found an open container of gasoline and bleached pants in the Jayes washer and drier Myers' jewelry and blue fanny pack were found at Retherford's home Kelly also decried Frost's testimony by saying he has 15 felony convictions for drug trafficking and shouldn't be believed Kelly said the only reason Frost knew about the crime was because he was reading case reports Gardiner said Frost is from Massachusetts and was in Fort Myers for 45 minutes before he was arrested by federal officers Frost testified Jaye told him he brought a knife to Striano's home intending to steal money Frost said Jaye demanded money from Striano Jaye gave the knife to his uncle who sliced Striano's throat "One can be the person who sliced the neck both under law are responsible for the crime," Ross said "The law doesn't distinguish between those individuals Dario Striano assumes additional role as Deputy CTO Physical and Elmar Aghamaliyev promoted to Deputy CTO GENEVA, March 24, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- SOCAR Trading has promoted Taghi Taghi-zada to Co-Head of Global Physical Trading with immediate effect who is also promoted to Deputy Chief Trading Officer Elmar Aghamaliyev has been promoted to Deputy Chief Trading Officer The promotions of Taghi Taghi-zada and Dario Striano are the result of the significant success of SOCAR Trading's Global Physical Trading (GPT) division which was created two years ago when the regional crude desks were combined under a single management team Under the skillful guidance of Dario Striano ably supported by senior traders in key locations GPT has greatly increased its revenue and new business lines accompanied by better internal communication and a burgeoning global team spirit "I am delighted to support Dario in the management of SOCAR Trading's unique Global Physical Trading division together with the extensive trading talent we have in our team we will continue to expand our revenues and profits While maintaining his position as Co-Head of Global Physical Trading Dario Striano's additional duties as Deputy CTO include taking an active role in SOCAR Trading's new business opportunities while continuing to grow the current business operations and overseeing SOCAR Trading's exciting regional expansions He will bring exceptional leadership skills and experience to his new role. And I am thrilled to take on the additional role as Deputy CTO. These are extremely exciting times to be part of the SOCAR Trading team." While maintaining his position as Head of Geneva Paper Desk Elmar Aghamaliyev's additional duties will include responsibility for monitoring all hedging and paper-specific activities of SOCAR Trading as well as taking active roles in new developing paper markets Dario and Elmar have each performed extremely well during the pandemic and I am very confident that they will rise to the challenges of their new roles and bring further success to SOCAR Trading. We pride ourselves on recruiting training and retaining the very best talent in the industry and our doors are always open to outstanding individuals." Taghi Taghi-zada joined SOCAR Trading from parent company SOCAR in May 2014 as a crude oil operator of Azeri Light and switched to a trading position the following year Taghi is highly skilled in commercial negotiations Dario Striano joined Socar Trading in 2014 from London-based Arcadia Trading and was previously a sour crude trader for the Mediterranean region Elmar Aghamaliyev joined SOCAR Trading in 2010 as a crude oil operator of Azeri Light and switched to a trading position in 2012 he was promoted to Head of Geneva Paper Desk [email protected] Related Imagesimage1.jpeg Do not sell or share my personal information: Marisa Striano left her life in Port Washington behind to move to the North Fork and start a new journey whose busy career included jobs with the Manhattan fashion label Escada and the construction company Unity Electric Her then-husband encouraged her to discover her passion — and it didn’t take long for her to find it with horses Striano loved horses and was even a dressage rider As she began to reconnect with that side of herself through riding she realized what she wanted to do with the rest of her life: provide a home for horses that are unwanted have been doing just that at their Baiting Hollow organization Spirit’s Promise Equine Rescue and Rehabilitation referring to them as healers and teachers and using them as therapy horses The four-acre property is also home to donkeys “It took me into my 50s to realize that I am put on this earth for a reason — and that is to heal people with the beauty of these horses.” she kept Spirit at a Nassau County barn where he became sick and unhappy she brought him to a rescue where he fell in love with a horse named Promise Striano believes finding companionship with the carefree Promise brought Spirit “back” to life The experience helped inspire her to establish her organization as a place where people can relax Spirit’s Promise works with East End Hospice and other nonprofit organizations that assist people with special needs and post-traumatic stress disorder offering them the ability to interact with the horses in a therapeutic manner Striano said she also offers individual therapy sessions “Whatever energy we are giving out to the world the horse mirrors back to us exactly what we give them,” she said she described the case of an introverted boy whose mother had difficulty communicating with him the Spirit’s Promise horse assigned to the pair wouldn’t approach the mother due to the energy she gave off By learning to adjust her behavior in order to interact with the horse the mother improved her relationship with her son Spirit’s Promise operates with the help of volunteers and monthly fundraisers Striano is currently preparing for a Christmas event first held last year read stories to kids in her decorated barn and offer them a chance to tour the site and feed the horses The cost is $25 for children and $10 for adults While fundraising has been successful over the years Striano said she wants to continue to raise awareness in the community about her organization’s purpose “We make a difference in our little corner of the world,” she said “I love to see the growth and how the horses are so ready to help.” The horses at Spirit’s Promise are docile and friendly always waiting to be petted or offered a treat Siegel said she loves spending her Saturdays introducing the animals to new volunteers and families she has already devoted significant time to her mother’s organization she was attending Pace University in Manhattan where she felt anxious and spent most of her time alone in her dorm room “The horses completely changed my life,” she said Siegel said she felt an immediate connection with Bo a horse who had been abused by his previous owners and was afraid of people when he arrived at Spirit’s Promise she and Bo have overcome their fears and anxieties by spending time together who decided to leave college to help her mother grow the organization I decided that I never wanted to do anything else because I wanted people to feel the same way that I did.” Volunteers at Spirit’s Promise feel similarly said she first visited the rescue to attend a line-dancing event with a friend Eissler said everyone at the ranch — employees visitors and volunteers — feels like family “The place itself is really special,” she said who volunteers at Spirit’s Promise about four times a week and brings her two daughters along on weekends “They absolutely love being here,” she said of her girls Since her daughters began volunteering a year ago they have gained a sense of confidence that has helped them at school Siegel said she admires her mother for launching such a unique organization and for changing both of their lives for the better she realized she was happiest helping others “I needed to give back to the world,” she said kmassa@timesreview.com .st1{fill-rule:evenodd;clip-rule:evenodd;fill:#2a2a2a}By Staten Island AdvanceSTATEN ISLAND Anthony Striano of Great Kills recently celebrated their 60th wedding anniversary with a trip to the Poconos and a surprise party in their granddaughter's Eltingville home After marrying and relocating to Staten Island in 1968 Striano earned a bachelor of science degree in sociology from the College of Staten Island An assistant director with the United Way of Staten Island she later became the director of agency services when the Staten Island agency merged with the United Way of New York She was instrumental in securing funding for many Island agencies She enjoys visiting the Atlantic City casinos and playing cards was employed with the New York City Transit Authority as a turnstile inspector for 27 years he was involved with the planning of many of the department's fare changes crabbing and carpentry as leisure activities The couple has been involved in the Staten Island community for many years and their dedication has earned them many awards Together they were awarded the 2011 Rolanda Cowles Memorial Helping Hands Award they received the Volunteer of the Year Award from The Alzheimer's Foundation of Staten Island Striano assists with computers and special events Striano founded the thrift shop and volunteers at the annual antique show Striano is the recipient of the Ephraim Bodine Agency Professional Award the Outstanding Commitment Award from the Independent Living Centers Striano is a recipient of the New York State Humanitarian Award and the President's Call To Service Award He volunteered at the Retired & Senior Volunteer Program of the Community Service Society of New York and was also a volunteer with the American Red Cross and Boy's Hope and have eight grandchildren and six great-grandchildren Use of and/or registration on any portion of this site constitutes acceptance of our User Agreement, (updated 8/1/2024) and acknowledgement of our Privacy Policy, and Your Privacy Choices and Rights (updated 1/1/2025) © 2025 Advance Local Media LLC. All rights reserved (About Us) Community Rules apply to all content you upload or otherwise submit to this site Ad Choices JEREMY STRIANO: The Orange were once Salt City’s one Division One institution but as Bob Dylan once said “The times they are a-changing.” STRIANO: In the Salt Springs neighborhood of Syracuse sits Le Moyne College Le Moyne will be entering Division 1 status as they are the newest member of the Northeast Conference Athletics Director Bob Beretta says that it was a successful BOB BERETTA: We were contacted by a professional in the industry who serves as a consultant on many different fronts and wanted to know if we would consider reclassifying that there were some conferences interested in Le Moyne if Le Moyne showed an interest in reclassifying to division one STRIANO: It was a process that started shortly after Beretta was hired by Le Moyne Beretta and his staff began to assess what was the best case scenario for Dolphins Athletics the folks that interviewed me talked about we want to take a look at what’s the best fit for Le Moyne Is it D-1?’ So when I arrived on campus I knew it was something that we were going to look at STRIANO: The perks of playing in a new conference include bumps in both enrollment and overall exposure Behind me sits Ted Grant Field which is home to Le Moyne’s powerhouse lacrosse program where they have found a lot of success on the field have they found success in finding a new rival Beretta says that one could be just a few miles west BERETTA: Obviously S-U has a long tradition of history but I think that we can carve our own niche here in this market and I think this market can support two division-one institutions STRIANO: Beretta and his staff were driven and determined to make this next step BERETTA: We stayed several steps ahead of the process because it was our goal to be prepared for success and if an opportunity were to come to our front porch that we wanted to have the agency to say ‘yes’ or ‘no’ to it and that’s exactly what happened  — American singer-songwriter Bob Dylan once said that “The times they are a-changing.” The same can be said for sports at Le Moyne College the Dolphins will enter Division I status in the next academic year They are set to become the newest members of the Northeast Conference where they will take on institutions such as Farleigh Dickinson Le Moyne’s current athletic director Beretta says their hunt for both academic and athletic success started as soon as he stepped foot in his office “We were contacted by a professional in the industry who serves as a consultant on many different fronts and wanted to know if we would consider reclassifying,” Beretta said “There were some conferences that were interested in Le Moyne.” Some of the numerous perks that come with Division I status include an increase in both student enrollment and general exposure Le Moyne has already found success on the field in the form of their Men’s lacrosse program who play their home games at Ted Grant Field are an integral part the legacy of Dolphins Athletics Will that success carry over in the search of a new rival Beretta said this could start a new feud against their crosstown neighbor I asked everyone ‘Who is Le Moyne’s rival?’ and no one could answer that question,” Beretta said “I’m not saying that Syracuse is going to be Le Moyne’s rival but there’s going to be a heightened level of interest when we play now because it won’t be in an exhibition game NCC News Online Student reporters cover daily news in Central New York Whether you're interested in breaking news NCC News Online provides you with the latest information Newhouse School of Public Communications | Syracuse University JEREMY STRIANO: This is your ordinary park bench It sits here at Clinton square in downtown Syracuse To most it’s a place to rest after a long day the homelessness rate has increased in Syracuse Director of the Housing and Homeless Coalition of Central New York Megan store says that HHCs mission provides help for families in need we’re a coalition of about thirty plus organizations that come together to coordinate services to really serve people who are experiencing both sheltered and unsheltered homelessness to get them back into safe permanent housing as quickly as possible STRIANO: According to their official website The Housing and Homeless Coalition has reported a general spike in homelessness since 2021 Yet the most astonishing of the facts presented is the family rate Stuart says that the family rate has been the most alarming statistic and has been unfortunately rising since their annual count last January we’ve seen an an over 60% increase in families experiencing homelessness and that’s families with young children STRIANO: Stuart also mentions that Mother Nature has a say in the rates Whether if it is the dog days of summer or the dead of winter the HHC tries its very best to collaborate with their partners to get people sheltered as efficiently as possible STUART: I think there is a spike in visible homelessness during the summer During the winter especially in this area with our with our weather we try really hard to get folks inside STRIANO: And for those who are interested in doing their part Volunteering and clothing donations are just two ways of getting involved But Stewart says that there is one way that would stand out above the rest STUART: Having a voice for affordable housing development in the region So you see a lot of folks who don’t want affordable housing in their neighborhoods but we need is people who are supportive of that STRIANO: Now out of respect for those experiencing homelessness I decided to leave any conversation or interaction I had with them out of the story due to their own safety as I felt that the camera kind of intimated them a bit now it’s up to people like you and me to help make a difference and one way by doing that is by donating your old or used clothes into bins like the ones behind me Something as small as that could help make a huge difference for many (NCC News) – A park bench that sits in the middle of Clinton Square in downtown Syracuse might be seen by many as place to rest after a long day that same bench could be their place of rest at night Director of the Housing and Homeless Coalition of Central New York Megan Stuart mentioned that the HHC’s mission provides immediate help for families in need “We’re a coalition of about thirty plus organizations that come together to coordinate services create service networks,” Stuart said “To really serve people who are experiencing both sheltered and unsheltered homelessness to get them back into safe permanent housing as quickly as possible.” the Housing and Homeless Coalition has reported a general spike in homelessness with the most alarming statistic being the increase of the family rate we’ve seen an over 60 percent increase in families experiencing homelessness,” Stuart said “And that’s families with young children one way to give back is by donating your old or used clothes into donation bins Stuart stated that there is one way to give back that would stand out above the rest “Having a voice for affordable housing development in the region,” Stuart said you see a lot of folks who don’t want affordable housing in their neighborhoods but we need people who are supportive of that to voice their support.” Cold Spring Harbor High School during a Newsday football photo shoot on Aug After concluding last season with its first Long Island Class IV championship in over a decade the Cold Spring Harbor football team will look upon Richie Striano to play a new role in 2019 A role he has not occupied since his junior varsity days – quarterback “Richie looks good and comfortable,” Cold Spring Harbor coach Jon Mendreski said “He’s got a good football IQ and ability to manage the game So I’m not really worried about the intangible stuff." The Seahawks return off their third Long Island championship and first since 2005 following a 42-20 victory over Shoreham-Wading River to close out a 10-2 campaign But with the graduation of quarterback Ray Costa and lead running back Danny Striano defending their crown will take a new level of proficiency from Striano Cold Spring Harbor enters 2019 at the top of the Nassau Conference IV seedings Mendreski acknowledged the pressure the Seahawks feel entering the season “I think we all feel it a little bit,” Mendreski said Wide receiver/defensive back Casey Reynolds who had 16 receptions for 520 yards and five touchdowns last season as well as lineman Dom Striano also are projected to play vital roles in Cold Spring Harbor’s success this season versatile lineman Nicky Brandi and longtime coach Rob Perpall The Vikings will look to bounce back after falling to the Seahawks in last season’s county final 3 seed Clarke comes off a 7-2 season and will rely on lineman Karl Bouyer and quarterback Chris Giardino Clarke was knocked off by West Hempstead in the first round of last season’s playoffs Fourth-seeded Locust Valley also looks to contend behind the combination of running back/linebacker Carlo Paz and lineman Patrick Fallon Cold Spring Harbor quarterback Richie Striano runs  against Seaford during the Nassau Conference IV football championship game at Shuart Stadium on Nov The Striano name has become synonymous with Cold Spring Harbor football Even after the graduation of Danny Striano last year coach Jon Mendreski knew he still had a strong foundation for this season’s team — if for no other reason than three players with the last name Striano were back: Richie “They are a couple of the guys that helped turn this program around the last 3-4 years,” Mendreski said “We knew they were special when they were sophomores up on varsity with us The trio strapped their helmets and shoulder pads on together for the final time for Cold Spring Harbor in a 14-8 loss to Seaford in the Nassau Conference IV championship game Saturday at Hofstra But with identical twins Dom and Peter as anchors on the line and Richie the Seahawks stayed resilient to the final play Cold Spring Harbor's offense was held off the field much of Saturday because of Seaford's ball-control offense but Richie Striano helped orchestrate an eight-play 80-yard drive culminating in a 21-yard touchdown pass to Casey Reynolds with 2:18 remaining He then ran in the ensuing two-point conversion to cut Seaford’s lead to six points He was 8-for-15 passing for 165 yards with the TD and three interceptions on the day But the ensuing onside kick was unsuccessful so the Strianos had played their final prep offensive drive together we all love each other so much,” Richie said “I know it wasn’t the way we wanted it to end but there’s no other group of guys — especially playing with my brothers — that I would ever want to play with." Cold Spring Harbor ended its season 8-2 after winning the Long Island Class IV championship last year And although the triplets will play lacrosse together in the spring we just love sitting around the dinner table talking about the next big Friday night or big Saturday afternoon game like today “I’ve made so many great memories with the guys I’m going to miss the team for sure,” Peter said Mary Striano clearly recalls the medical consultation she and her husband had  with a doctor in 2001 about their second pregnancy The news he delivered about the result of their in vitro fertilization procedure was much bigger than expected Vince and Mary weren’t going to be welcoming one new child or even two “My husband turned to the wall and hit his head against it three times,” she said Vince admitted to the shock that came with the realization that they’d be raising four kids Petey and Richie Striano were born late that October He said “my dream that day is what we’re seeing today — that they might all one day play together support each other and be a part of something very successful.” The four Striano brothers — a senior and three juniors — play a lot of roles in the athletic ensemble that is the Cold Spring Harbor football team After capturing the Nassau IV title last Friday Cold Spring Harbor will face Shoreham-Wading River for the Long Island Class IV championship on Friday at Stony Brook and elder brother Danny is a tailback and defensive back the Striano name is likely to echo from the LaValle Stadium PA much of the afternoon “It’s pretty cool that all of them turned out to be incredible athletes and impact players for us,” Seahawks quarterback Ray Costa said “They’ve really contributed to the culture of the program because they push each other so hard and maybe a little of that is because they are a family.” That the Strianos excel in football is not a coincidence Mary Striano was a three-sport athlete at her high school in Wichita  Vince was a linebacker and fullback for Holy Family (now St Anthony’s); he was a Newsday All-Long Island selection in 1978 and a finalist for the Hansen Award he rushed for 915 yards and led the Catholic league in scoring with 78 points where he had three interceptions and was the leading tackler for two years.” “This would go on for hours every day and the competition was fierce,” Mary said “It was remarkable then and it goes on to this day.” “They have competed with and against each other and they’ve grown very close,” Vince said I watch the way this football team competes and is a brotherhood and we’d like to think they’ve played a role in it.” The four also play together on the CSH lacrosse team Danny accepted a scholarship to play lacrosse at Providence next year and Richie has committed to play at Bucknell The dynamics inside the Striano household have been an interesting study Danny is a natural-born competitor and Vince and Mary believe he encouraged that in the triplets “Danny always wins every argument,” Richie said “But it’s always Danny versus someone else,” Dom was quick to add “I can really get on these guys because we’re used to speaking freely,” Danny said That was missing last season when Danny was sidelined with a fractured L-5 vertebra He watched and enjoyed it as the other three helped the Seahawks go 8-0 in the regular season and win two playoff games before losing to Seaford in the county final “Watching that made me want to get healthy for this season,” he said Danny got back for this season — though he missed three games with a knee injury — and scored three touchdowns as CSH topped Seaford in the Nassau IV title game rematch last Friday CSH coach Jon Mendreski said he cheered on his brothers and his team “He’s back now,'' Mendreski said ''and you can see that he’s keeping an eye on the other three.”  clearly is the family spokesman and cut-up “There’s something different about all of us: Petey’s the smart one Danny’s the fast one and I got a little bit of everything,” he said Richie also said that “when people ask about us being triplets “Richie has definitely got a little bit of everything,” he said “He’s — I don’t want to say The Mayor — but he gets it.” Mendreski and the rest of the Seahawks find moments to laugh at the quartet The coach said  two often would show up for summer workouts and have no idea where the other two were “like they live together but can’t keep track of each other.” And Costa said “none of us can figure out how when three of them have the same birthday That’s when they become part of the bigger family the one with athletes who can beat an opponent so many ways has run for 10 touchdowns and thrown for 10 The defense has posted four shutouts and held foes to a single score two other times “It’s fun to be able to play with your actual brothers “but we also are a part of something bigger MARTIN COUNTY — Michelle Mishcon and John Stevens were inseparable If there’s any peace her longtime co-worker Pete Striano can find in the wake of the couple’s death it’s in the fact they left this world together “They did everything together,” Striano said it wasn’t ever Michelle at something that John wasn’t at and vice versa who worked with Mishcon for 15 years at the Boca Raton-based Striano Financial Group of Northwestern Mutual was asked by her family to speak at a Friday afternoon memorial service in Fort Lauderdale for the husband and wife Mishcon and Stevens were killed in a seemingly random and unprovoked attack Monday night inside the garage of their home in southern Martin County People packed the 1,167-seat Parker Playhouse theater in Fort Lauderdale for the memorial that lasted more than two hours The crowd was almost at full capacity; only the last three rows were empty “It was a moving ceremony celebrating both Michelle’s and John’s lives,” Striano said “It was well-attended and was tough to get through Mishcon was in charge of supervision and compliance for the financial services company She worked directly for Striano for the past eight years “Her main job was to make sure that people who were brought into the firm were of good character,” Striano said Striano got to know Mishcon well as part of a 20-member team that supported 150 financial representatives and he described her as “the integral cog of our team.” He said she took great pride in always doing things the right way “She was one of the hardest working people here in our organization,” Striano said “She was someone that took personal responsibility to make sure that everything was always handled in a first-class manner because she was a first-class person.” and a client who had lost a spouse deal with beneficiaries “She was in the same mood she’s in every day.” That night, 19-year-old Austin Harrouff is accused of fatally stabbing Mishcon and Stevens It’s been a tough week for Mishcon’s co-workers ever since As he prepared for the speech he delivered at the couple’s memorial service he recalled how Mishcon and Stevens did everything together Striano said the couple were constantly smiling He had expected the big turnout Friday at the memorial service sheriff’s officials released surveillance video of Harrouff leaving Duffy’s Sports Grill in Jupiter less than an hour before he’s accused of killing the couple Officials worked with the local State Attorney’s Office on the charges Harrouff will face once he’s medically cleared to leave St Those charges are: two counts of first-degree murder attempted first-degree murder related to the attempted killing of neighbor Jeffrey Fisher burglary of a dwelling while armed and resisting an officer without violence The Florida State University student and Alpha Delta Phi fraternity member from Jupiter remained stable but in critical condition Friday at the hospital who was stabbed when he tried to intervene during the attack was released from the hospital Thursday and was home resting with his family Friday A woman who answered the door at Fisher’s home Friday morning and a man who drove up to the house and said he was Fisher’s uncle both declined to comment Regarding Harrouff’s pending toxicology results sheriff’s officials have requested the help of the FBI laboratory in Quantico to lead in the testing of his blood for the chemicals found in flakka and bath salts which is considered a cousin to the drug combination found in bath salts hallucinations and incidents of violence without warning Bath salts are synthetic cathinones and shouldn’t be confused with products such as Epsom salts that people use during bathing Those results typically take one to three weeks There’s been no confirmation of flakka in Harrouff’s system at the time of the attack “The Harrouff family expresses their deepest sympathy for the pain and suffering caused by Austin Harrouff The Harrouff family loves Austin as they know the Stevens and Mishcon families loved John Stevens III and Michelle Mishcon There are no words we can offer to give any real comfort for this tragic loss “There are no words we can offer that can make up for the injury sustained by Jeff Fisher who was doing what we would want all good neighbors to do which was try to help innocent people from being hurt or killed “We love our son and know that he is not the person some are making him to be for their own purposes We allow the full legal process to find the facts and the truth here.” Anyone who saw Austin Harrouff in the areas of Jupiter and/or Tequesta on Monday night is asked to call the Martin County Sheriff's Office at 772-220-7060 Staff writer Will Greenlee contributed to this report Wearing a red prison jumpsuit and handcuffs as she was escorted into the courtroom Allison Jaye took the witness stand and looked blankly at the defendant A state attorney then asked Jaye about her relationship to the defendant in the first-degree murder trial Allison Jaye testified Tuesday that her brother plotted the burglary of Russell Myers’ San Carlos Park home in July 2012 and used a knife from the family home in the attack is accused of breaking into Myers’ home with his uncle Billy Rae Retherford and killing Debra Striano Retherford died in an August 2012 shootout with federal officers as they tried to apprehend him in North Fort Myers she went into her brother’s bedroom and saw a knife wrapped in a towel Allison said she noticed a burning smell coming from Retherford’s bedroom The state claims Dustin Jaye was burning his shoes used in the homicide “I knew my brother wanted to rob him,” Allison Jaye said who is in jail for burglary and grand theft said her brother told her to plead the Fifth Amendment and not testify She will retake the stand this morning as Dustin Jaye’s attorney cross-examines her the state revealed it has the homicide weapon used in the attack shoe prints the defendant left at the crime scene and the defendant’s own sister ready to testify against him Dustin Jaye’s attorney remains confident there’s enough doubt in the case to find his client not guilty Under cross-examination of Striano’s live-in boyfriend Tuesday defense attorney Ed Kelly got Russell Myers to admit he was the sole beneficiary in Striano’s will which would give Myers $90,000 in the event of her death testified he wasn’t aware Striano had executed her will Myers had told Dustin Jaye’s sister about his successful lawn-care business “Russell Myers talked about the money he makes the safe in his house and the fanny pack he keeps where cash is kept,” state attorney Cynthia Ross said testified Tuesday that he never told Dustin Jaye or his sister about money inside his house Family friend Sarah Grenier told detectives that Jaye asked her to pull up the address of the home shared by Striano and Myers She told detectives she recalled three times when Jaye told her he’d be willing to kill someone if he knew he could get $10,000 to $15,000 out of them “The only words you will hear about Dustin Jaye is possible contributor,” Kelly said Myers said he left the doors to his house open the night of the attack because he had forgotten to purchase bananas from the grocery store By the time Myers returned to the house 25 minutes later Striano’s throat was sliced three times with a knife A plastic piece of the knife was left in Striano’s master bedroom a Lee County crime scene supervisor testified found by deputies after it was tossed into bushes Detectives also found a pair of partially burned sneakers hidden in an air-conditioning vent the state says matches the bloody shoe prints found at Striano’s home Kelly said the DNA collected was far more conclusive a match for Jaye’s uncle A Lee County prisoner who shared a jail cell with Jaye plans to testify against him Brian Frost claims Jaye told him about the murder called Frost “a jailhouse snitch” and told jurors they shouldn’t believe him Kelly told jurors she’s not a reliable witness First-time principal Jacqueline Striano has taken charge of Dighton-Rehoboth Regional High School Striano started the job as D-R principal on July 1 coming from a job as associate principal at Ponagansett High School in North Scituate “I feel honored and privileged and delighted to be joining such a fabulous community,” said Striano “I think from everything I’ve seen and heard from everyone at the high school and community .. First and foremost it’s focused on students.” Striano said that so far this summer she has been learning a lot about the high school it’s a lot of learning a lot of asking questions and making sure the building is ready for students to come to school this fall,” Striano said “I am working with administration and staff to plan community outreach and talking about how to make our school to make it even better and add to our significant history as a whole.” Striano will be the principal to more than 860 students this upcoming school year I’m most impressed with their outgoing nature,” Striano said “They polite in halls and interested in school in general and to build that coming forward you have to become part of a culture by listening to people who are discussing needs and wants.” Striano also said she would make school safety a focus this year by working with community organizations “to make sure that we are all aligned in terms of safety plans” and by providing students knowledge to keep them safe in the hallways Striano served as a history and special education teacher in Boston and Greenwich before she moved on to school administration working as a student activities director and alternative school director Striano worked as assistant principal at Cranston High School West and at Western Hills Middle School Striano said outside of school she likes to go scuba diving watch old movies and read books suggested by students Striano stressed that she does not want to be a dictator at the school saying it’s important to consider everyone’s views before making a decision “I don’t believe that a principal who is imperial will ever be successful,” Striano said “Being a good principal means making good decisions in many cases from the bottom up and talking with all stakeholders in the school With many minds around the table you can accomplish remarkable things.” Contact Marc Larocque at mlarocque@tauntongazette.com FAVORITE PART OF JOB: “Working with students and watching them become successful young adults.” watching old movies (especially those from the World War II era) FAVORITE BASEBALL TEAM: The New York Yankees and upcoming events right to your inbox with our daily newsletter Marisa Striano of Spirit’s Promise is helping to heal people through her equine programs When Marisa Striano purchased a rundown horse farm and former bed-and-breakfast on Sound Avenue in Riverhead nearly a decade ago her intent was to make a positive difference in the world Unnerved by the stresses and pain consistently splashed across the news who holds a degree in psychology from Massachusetts’ Stonehill College sought to combine her clinical and equestrian background to foster hope and healing “I got so tired of people not paying it forward; it seemed like we were living in a selfish society and it was a turning point for me,” said Striano who has been riding horses since she was 8 years old “I thought people must be feeling so much sadness and I wanted to do my part to help heal.” spent the first several months fixing up the stables and the property’s ailing barns prior to launching Spirit’s Promise Equine Rescue and Rehabilitation Program with six horses The program initially started as a riding academy but quickly evolved into another type of educational facility teaching people how to cope with addiction a life-altering prognosis such as Alzheimer’s disease and those seeking a new path to personal empowerment through its grief counseling and life-coaching workshops The 20 horses at Spirit’s Promise are uniquely suited to help the vulnerable each was granted a new lease on life after being abused the rehabilitated horses now help people find new beginnings The nonprofit’s mission statement — “Help us help people” — stems from the idea of continuously paying it forward “The horses are such empathic animals,” Striano said “We use on-the-ground equine therapy that connects people who are in emotional trouble with highly sensitive and vulnerable animals We nurture the horses so we can nurture people.” Certified through Koelle Institute for Equus Coaching Striano indefinitely halted riding lessons and began implementing team-based equine assisted bereavement programs in collaboration with East End Hospice in 2015 The goal was to give participants a new way to become more connected with themselves through guidance and feedback from social workers which serve as mirrors to what is being expressed The process helps people who are feeling disconnected overwhelmed or misunderstood or are struggling with self-expression after loss or trauma “It is the best medicine I ever had,” said Wading River resident Minna Waldeck suddenly and unexpectedly died nearly six years ago “When you’re next to this 1,000-pound animal you have to learn to be in the moment and learn to trust It gives your brain a break for a while and you learn about yourself and how you handle situations.” Waldeck joined the program at Spirit’s Promise more than two years ago after trying traditional therapy “I felt such a connection with Marisa and the horses,” she said we learn to return to a calm and peaceful place It makes your heart light for a little while Introducing life-coaching sessions was a natural next step for Striano Many members of the bereavement programs requested the workshops to focus on self-growth and empowerment typically hosted one-on-one or in private groups aim to give participants insight into their true nature “People have been taught to think in terms of ‘right’ and ‘wrong.’ Horses only reflect what the person is feeling in that present moment,” she said “They make positive and negative communication patterns become clear very quickly which enables people to gain self awareness of how they are projecting themselves to the world.” It was an experience Agnes Percoco of Port Jefferson witnessed firsthand Percoco began attending grief therapy at Spirit’s Promise before enrolling in life coaching at the farm last year it was a combination of grief and life coaching,” she said I didn’t run toward the gate and I realized that is how I handle chaos: I just stand still It was eye-opening because I didn’t realize that I bury my emotions I didn’t know that about myself for 17 years since my son passed away Spirit’s Promise has helped hundreds of people work through weighty and emotional trials which is maintained with help from volunteers and sustained through donations opens its gates to the public each weekend during the summer months allowing people of all ages an opportunity to explore the farm and meet the animals In addition to the 14 large horses and six miniature horses There is also a flower farm onsite where passersby can pick a fresh-cut bouquet to bring home Spirit’s Promise hosts American Country Night drawing fun-loving line dancers to the farm’s entertainment center a converted rustic red potato barn decorated with country adornments the twice-weekly events offer live music and a food truck with the proceeds benefiting the ongoing efforts at the farm “It is a transformative place with a lot of love,” Striano said “I’m trying to help people live their best lives.” Spirit’s Promise is located at 2746 Sound Ave As the holiday gift-giving season kicks into full gear   North Shore Horse Rescue is hosting ‘A Starry Night Music Festival’ on Saturday,..   Break out your cowboy boots and 10-gallon hats: the Baiting Hollow Farm Horse.. Terms of Use | Privacy Policy | Accessibility Site made in collaboration with CMYK