PTA Council celebrates Founder’s Day 2020

Leonard’s Palazzo in Great Neck was vibrating with excitement on March 10 as members of the East Meadow Parent Teacher Association and East Meadow PTA Council came together for the first time since the beginning of the coronavirus pandemic.

The reason for the festivities: Founder’s Day. Each year Founder’s Day is celebrated to commemorate the founding of the PTA and to recognize those who make the PTA and its activities possible. Because of Covid, the 2020 Founder’s Day festivities were not able to happen so PTA Council President Donna Goldstein and immediate past PTA Council President Veronica Nicastro co-hosted the evening.

“Finally,” Goldstein said to the crowd. “We can celebrate these well-deserved honorees. A big thank you for all of your patience and understanding as we navigated this uncharted territory.”

The theme of the evening, she said, was soaring to new heights.

“We have waited two long years to celebrate tonight’s honorees and while the wait was difficult, I venture to say that each honoree here tonight was well worth the wait and so tonight we finally celebrate you, we celebrate the people who have contributed so much to our district,” East Meadow Board of Education President Alisa Baroukh said. “Teachers, administrators and some of the most dedicated parents that I know. The wait most definitely does not diminish the work you have done, rather it amplifies it.”

Nicastro was called up by Goldstein to announce the 2020 honorees. “Founder’s Day has long been one of East Meadow’s favorite PTA events,” she said. “It is always a joy to honor those individuals who go above and beyond for our community’s children. This year in particular it being the first Founder’s Day in a few years it feels especially special I’m sure.”

“We must take this evening and savor it for what it actually is–a celebration of what is right in this world, a celebration of exemplary individuals who selflessly act for our children and for our community’s future, a celebration of humanity at its best,” she added.

The first two brought up to the podium to receive recognition were the PTA Council’s honorees, Todd Atkin and Frank Lukasik.

Atkin’s has a long list of community involvement including the Farmingdale Chamber of Commerce, the New York State Volunteer Ambulance Rescue Association, the Huntington Community First Aid Squad and membership of the Long Island Convention and Visitors Bureau among others. In 2005 Atkins joined the ranks of the Nassau County Police Department. He has won numerous awards including Top Cop of the month, four Lifesaver Awards and in 2012 he was awarded the Savior of the Year Award for saving the life of a child.

Lukasik grew up in East Meadow, attended East Meadow schools and currently lives in East Meadow. In 2015 he became the East Meadow School District Director of Literacy, ENL and Funded Programs. He has redesigned the district summer reading program, created the summer learning program and partnered with high school students to create a little free library. He was an executive board member of the Nassau County Elementary Schools Principal Association, among other accomplishments.

Honorees were invited up to the podium one by one where they each lit a candle to signify all that they do for the children of the community.