East Meadow's Culinary Delights brings in a charitable feast

Music filled the air at the Carltun at Eisenhower Park, courtesy of the W.T. Clarke string quartet, as guests tasted food from a variety of local restaurants and businesses at the Chamber of Commerce’s 16th annual Culinary Delights on Sept. 24.

“This is probably our biggest year yet,” said event co-chair Rosemary Basmajian, adding that there are usually 25 to 30 businesses represented at each event, but this year drew 32.

For the fourth straight year, Basmajian and Lyndsey Gallagher co-chaired the event, which raised funds for America’s VetDogs, Nassau University Medical Center’s Pediatric Department, the East Meadow Kiwanis Club’s Kamp Kiwanis and the Nassau/Suffolk Autism Society.

“It’s been really great and really busy so far,” Gallagher said as she greeted guests at the entrance of the catering hall. In total, Gallagher and Basmajian sold roughly 400 tickets to those form East Meadow and beyond who brought their appetite and tried a variety of food and drinks from the community and some from across Long Island.

The event also drew students, community leaders, Board of Education trustees and administrators from the East Meadow School District, including Superintendent Dr. Kenneth Card Jr.

Camarano said that Culinary Delights isn’t about the chamber. “It’s all about the community helping us to give back and help others,” he said. “Lyndsey and Rosemary put so much effort into this event each year.”