TOBAY Notebook: Upcoming Blood Drive

The Oyster Bay Town Board urges residents to participate in the town’s semi-annual blood drive on  Thursday, Aug. 4.

Past town Blood Drives have earned the Town of Oyster Bay the New York Blood Center’s "Bronze Award" and "Silver Award," recognizing outstanding employee participation. "

The blood drives will be held at Town Hall North (54 Audrey Avenue, Oyster Bay from 9 a.m. - 3 p.m.), Town Hall South (977 Hicksville Road, Massapequa from 9:30 a.m. - 3:30 p.m.), Department of Public Works (150 Miller Place from 7:15 a.m. - 11:45 a.m. for town employees only), Department of Public Works (150 Miller Place, Syosset from 11 a.m. to 3:30 p.m.) and the William P. Bennett Hicksville Community Center (28 West Carl Street, Hicksville from 2:30 p.m. - 8:30 p.m.).

To qualify as a blood donor, a person must between the ages of 17 and 75 years old (16 with parental permission and 76 or older with a doctor’s note), weigh at least 110 pounds and not have donated blood within the last 56 days. All blood types are needed, especially O positive and O negative. The town will provide refreshments for everyone who donates.

"I can think of few more important gifts a person can give than a pint of blood," Supervisor John Venditto said.

Music Under the Stars Lineup Change

Town of Oyster Bay announced a change in performers for the final Music Under the Stars concert series. On Saturday, Aug. 6, American Idol performers will be at John J. Burns Town Park for a night Motown music. The event will star Season 8’s country singer Michael Sarver and powerhouse Alexis Grace, Season 6’s soulful rocker Gina Glocksen, Season 4’s singer/songwriter Anwar Robinson and Season 6’s show-stopping Melinda Doolittl.

Composting Brochure Available

Mention the word "recycling" and many people think of newspapers, glass bottles, aluminum cans, and plastic. According to Oyster Bay Town Councilman Anthony D. Macagnone, residents can also recycle yard waste by composting. To help residents get started, the town has prepared a brochure which outlines the simple "how to" of composting.

"Composting is a recycling method of turning grass, leaves and other yard waste into a valuable resource," Councilman Macagnone explained. "Through composting, organic matter such as grass and yard waste decay into a dark, rich, crumbly substance called humus, which makes excellent soil conditioner. This brochure provides additional information on what composting is, as well as the advantages of composting, the process of composting, a backyard project for the reader to engage in and composting hints to remember."

Any resident or organization interested in obtaining a free brochure can pick one up at Town Halls North (Oyster Bay) and South (Massapequa), the Department of Public Works (Syosset) and at major park facilities. A copy can also be downloaded by clicking here.