An honorable night for the Kiwanettes of Oceanside

The Kiwanettes of Oceanside hosted an awards dinner at Lambrou’s Catering Hall in Island Park on April 11 to honor several community members who have made significant contributions to the area.

The Kiwanettes have served Oceanside since 1955, providing holiday items and gifts for needy families, organizing luncheons for seniors residents, creating a scholarship for Oceanside High School graduates and making donations to other service organizations. Each year the organization recognizes individuals and groups whose efforts stand out.

Kiwanettes President Janet Pearsall welcomed the crowd of nearly 200, which included community leaders and elected officials, to the event. State Sen. Patricia Canzoneri-Fitzpatrick praised the group for its service, and presented the awards to its honorees.

“I want to thank the Kiwanettes for what they’re doing to honor the community,” Canzoneri-Fitzpatrick said. “I say all the time that the government can only do so much, and it’s organizations like the Kiwanettes that help us do so much in the community.”

The honorees were Joe Cibellis, vice president of the Oceanside Chamber of Commerce, and the staff at Towers Funeral Home, led by owner Bill Kallinikos. Towers was presented with the Public Service Award, for its staffers’ volunteer work to promote service in the hamlet. Cibellis, who is active with the Oceanside Community Warriors, which cleans up outdoor and public spaces around town, and Oceanside Unified, which focuses on forging connections between local organizations and organizing community events, was given the Kiwanettes’ first Leadership Award.

Assemblyman Brian Curran commended the honorees, and emphasized the significance of serving others in building a better community.

“The Kiwanettes could not have done a better job in selecting two honorees tonight,” Curran said. “You have two fine gentlemen here who have done so much for Oceanside. Joe with the Oceanside Warriors, and you ask anyone about Bill, and if there’s anybody in Oceanside or any organization that needs any help, you ask Bill and he’s there to help them, and that is a lifelong dedication by both of these men.”

“I’m really honored and humbled,” Cibellis said. “I don’t see myself as a leader, but just someone who really enjoys people in general and bringing good people together.”

Oceanside Board of Education Trustee Sandie Schoell presented Towers with the Public Service Award. The business sponsors youth and adult programs, supports charitable organizations and stands in solidarity with local emergency services during times of crisis.

“In honor of your generosity, dedication, compassion, tireless service to our families, and the sacrifices that you make every day, we thank you,” Schoell told Kallinikos. “You’re always there to provide comfort and guidance during times of loss, and you’ve helped ease the burden of families by unselfishly giving up your time. Thank you for all you have done, will do and, most importantly, for what you are doing today.”

The staff at Towers comprises Kallinikos; his daughter and son-in-law, Krissie and George Frangiadakis; Amy Dagger; Frank Criscuolo and Mary Mery. The support staff of funeral assistants and greeters is led by Chris Pappas and Tim Kirkwood.

Towers has offered its services in several high-profile emergencies over the years, including the crash of TWA Flight 800 in 1996, the Sept. 11 attacks, Hurricane Sandy and, most recently, the coronavirus pandemic.

The funeral home was founded in 1933 by Earl Towers, and his son, Robert “Bob” Towers, later assumed leadership. In 1993 he sold the business to Kallinikos, whom he had hired. Kallinikos, who had family members in funeral service, said he knew from age 10 that he would one day become a funeral director. Towers retired in 2009.

“I owe so much to Bob,” Kallinikos said. “I worked under his guidance for a long time, and he gave me the tools to do what we’re doing today. It’s a very moving evening. I came from a one-bedroom apartment in Washington Heights. I didn’t even realize that we were poor, but God gave me the way to go and do what I wanted to do to help others, and I’m in that position right now. I tell the younger generation that’s coming up: You treat every family the way you want to be treated when it’s time to make arrangements for Mom and Dad.”