Getting a little help from the county’s friends

At Field No. 1 in Nassau County’s Grant Park in Hewlett there is a new scoreboard, the backstop behind home plate is now padded with the same material as the outfield fences in Yankee Stadium and Citi Field, and the batting helmet rack is similar to the one used by the University Florida baseball players.
How did that happen?
Through a generous but unspecified donation to the Friends of Nassau County Recreation, Inc by East Rockaway resident Joe Terranova. The installation was done just before Memorial Day weekend.
Terranova, 48, loves sports, he still plays baseball, has his three children — two boys and girl involved in athletics —but gained a life view through tragedy. “I lost my parents at a young age and it instills a certain perspective,” Terranova said as he stood near the new Grant Park scoreboard. “I had a great childhood and I want to give back.”
The chief market strategist for Virtus Investment Partners, a CNBC contributor and a panelist on the cable channel’s financial show “Fast Money,” grew up in Valley Stream and attended Chaminade High School in Mineola.

Terranova said he plans to help add the same items to fields 2 and 3, and have a sound system installed so the players can be introduced and music can be played to create a big league atmosphere. Earlier this year, Terranova coordinated a youth ice hockey clinic with the Islanders, who practiced at Grant Park on Feb. 24. “I want the kids out there to enjoy themselves,” he said.
Friends is a nonprofit organization that was established 1980 to “foster an appreciation of Nassau County parks and to encourage their usage for leisure and recreational purposes,” as written on the county’s website.
“[It] assists the county with administrative and other professional services for the purposes of developing, promoting, programming, assisting, supporting, implementing and coordinating various activities at Nassau County parks, facilities, museums, preserves and historic building for the benefit of the residents of Nassau County,” said Mary Studdert, the spokeswoman for the county’s Department of Parks, Recreation and Museums. In 2013, the group collected about $1.2 million in sponsorships, donations and registration fees, officials said.
Friends of Nassau County Recreation is also involved in obtaining sponsors for events such as the Long Island Marathon, Games for the Physical Challenge, International nights, the Holiday Spectacular, Oktoberfest, the St. Patrick’s Day Festival, the Kong Island Fair at Old Bethpage Village Restoration, and other events.
“The organization’s sole purpose is to provide the residents of Nassau County with a wide array of entertainment, programming and events that enhance the quality of life in our community, while making our park system the jewel of Nassau County,” said Friends board member Jeffrey Carpenter. “[We] works with Parks employees to provide funding that enhances park activities, sporting events and programs, and also to support various events to make them affordable for our residents.”
Donations can be made to Friends of Nassau County Recreation, Inc., at 1899 Hempstead Turnpike, Park Administration Building, Eisenhower Park, East Meadow, NY 11554.