Category: News

On May 5, Mayor Allan M. Dorman, a Vietnam War veteran, spoke at the 3rd annual Motorcycle Poker Run to benefit Jacob’s Light Foundation, which concluded at the law office of Rappaport Glass Levine & Zullo LLP in Islandia. Approximately 300 bikers, many of them veterans themselves, took part in this event, which was presented by Michael “Motorcycle Mike” Levine, Esq., one of the law firm’s partners.

At the event, Mayor Dorman had the opportunity to meet with other veterans and Dorine Kenney, a Gold Star Mother and Founder/Executive Director, Jacob’s Light Foundation. He later addressed the crowd as he spoke of his time when he was a member of the U.S. Marine Corps and fought during the Vietnam War. He also thanked those in attendance for serving our country and for participating in this special event.

Jacob’s Light Foundation sends out care packages to troops serving overseas in Iraq and Afghanistan. The packages first go to those who do not receive mail from home; the organization also cares for soldiers whose families cannot afford to send a care package and sends boxes to those who are stationed in the most remote war zones and do not have access to basic amenities such as toothpaste and deodorant.

The organization is named for U.S. Army Specialist Jacob Fletcher, Ms. Kenney’s son. He served as a member of the 173rd Airborne Brigade and was one of the 1,000 paratroopers to make the historic jump into Iraq on March 26, 2003. On November 14, 2003 — less than two weeks before his 29th birthday — Specialist Fletcher was killed by a roadside bomb in the Iraqi city of Samarra.

Islandia Village Mayor Allan M. Dorman and Trustees Diane Olk and Mike Zaleski were sworn in for another term during the April 2 Village Board meeting. Mayor Dorman, Ms. Olk and Mr. Zaleski won their respective elections on March 13. All three races were uncontested.

The terms for Mayor and Village Trustee are four years. Mayor Dorman and Ms. Olk, who also serves as the Deputy Mayor, were first elected in 2005. Mr. Zaleski, who is also the Village’s Public Safety Officer, was elected in 2009.

On March 30, Mayor Allan M. Dorman, a Vietnam War veteran, hosted a group of local war veterans inside the Village of Islandia Commons to announce plans for the village to establish a Veterans of Foreign Wars post. The meetings would be held inside the Islandia Chamber of Commerce’s 800-square-foot meeting room inside the Village of Islandia Commons building, located on the corner of Old Nichols Road and South Bedford Avenue.

As a public service to those who served our country, the village would offer the meeting room at no charge to the VFW post. The village is looking to establish the post so local veterans would not have to travel long distances to meet with fellow veterans. In the event there is not enough room inside the Village of Islandia Commons, Mayor Dorman said, the meetings may be held inside village hall when the village board is not in session.

In order to establish a post, Mayor Dorman asked those in attendance to sign a petition and provide a copy of their DD214, which verifies their military service. Thirty-five signatures are needed to establish a VFW post.

On March 9, the Village of Islandia launched its feral cat TNR (trap, neuter, return) program. Local volunteers and members of Guardians of Rescue, a nonprofit animal rescue group, helped bring in approximately 50 stray cats to Village Hall. Volunteers from Helping Paw, a nonprofit animal welfare organization based in Commack, performed alterations on the cats before bringing them back to their natural habitat.

The program was the idea of Josephine Palladino, a village resident. She expressed her concerns about the feral cat population in the village to Mayor Allan M. Dorman. Soon after meeting with Ms. Palladino, Mayor Dorman announced the launch of the program.

The village’s financial support of the program also shows the village’s commitment to maintaining the health and safety of these cats by reducing the cat population. According to the Humane Society, there are 50 million feral cats in existence in the United States.