Friday, May 17 2013 05:43

Written by Gianna Volpe

Taking a walk on the beach this spring could help feed and educate an orphan in sub-Saharan Africa, thanks to Pattye Pece of Aquebogue.

Pece, founder and president of Sobornost for the World Foundation, has organized "Four Seasons Walking Tours," which will begin with a guided walk through Smith Point Park on Saturday, May 25. The suggested donation of $30 to participate will benefit the Hampton Bays-based charitable organization's mission.

"Around 30,000 children die around the world from treatable or preventable diseases and malnutrition," said Pece of her reasons for starting Sobornost. "I thought, you know, we can't even save that many children in a lifetime, but at least we can work on the ground in Africa … We've built a school in Kenya and some kitchens."

Sobornost, founded in 2003, feeds and educates 300 African children every day, Pece said. Sobornost volunteers also operate the World Village Fair Trade Market in Hampton Bays.

The fundraising spring walks will be led by environmental educator and analyst Christopher Visco, a faculty member at Suffolk County Community College.

"Chris Visco is an environmental sciences teacher of 33 years," Pece said. "He is a passionate speaker about all things environment and offered to educate our walkers about our fragile environment here on Long Island."

Participants will be free to ask questions throughout the walk, she said.

Pece, who grew up in Riverhead, said she founded the organization out of a desire to do more in the world.

"I was very inspired by people like Mother Theresa," she said. "There's so many people to help and I didn't know where to begin. I was a married woman with two kids thinking, 'There's got to be something I can do locally.'"

Her chance came in 1997, when she met an English missionary visiting the U.S. after a mission in Africa.

"He started talking to me about the world condition, about global poverty and how 14 million orphans die per year just from the AIDS virus," Pece recalled. "I was taken by the whole story and did my own research," she said. "I just kept feeling there's a way to do something - I knew I couldn't save the world, but I certainly could do something little."

Sobonost, a Russian word that means "community of love" or "unity of heart, mind and soul," is a good word for the organization, she said, because it's "a united group of people working together for the common good."

The kick-off spring walk in the Four Seasons Walking Tours is Saturday May 25, from 10 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. (Meet at the Flight 800 Memorial.) Suggested donation: $30. Advance registration required. Register online or by sending your name, address and phone, together with a $30 check payable to Sobornost for the World Foundation, to:

Sobornost For The World
101 W. Montauk Highway
Suite 4 - Hamlet Green
Hampton Bays, NY 11946

Thursday, May 16 2013 17:24

Written by Gianna Volpe

The controversial riverfront zip line proposed for downtown Riverhead is likely to be delayed until next summer due to logistical speed bumps encountered during today's town board work session - as well as resistance from local business owners and residents.

The project will require a public hearing before approval because of the landing tower's proposed location, which is in public parking district property.

"We initially thought the structures would be limited to town-owned park," said Deputy Town Attorney Anne Marie Prudenti. The proposed landing tower, however, would be located in the municipal parking lot off of McDermott Avenue, which would therefore mandate a public hearing.

Prudenti said that the zip line must also be approved by the New York State Department of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation, adding that representatives have already expressed support of the project.

Supervisor Sean Walter said the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation could further delay the approval process if a permit is required for the construction, which is planned within 500 feet of the Peconic River. Walter said a recent call from the DEC indicated a permit may, in fact, be needed.

Town board hopeful Anthony Coates said in comments before the board that, with all the surfacing red tape, "this seems like a moot discussion for 2013."

July is the earliest the town board could now approve the project, considering the need for a public hearing.

If approved, Urban Jungle Zip Lines would pay the town an estimated $35,000 for its seasonal operation, a portion of which Prudenti said would be given back to the parking district for its use of parking district property for a landing tower.

That number would increase to an estimated $45,000 if the lease is renewed for a second season, she said.

Six people addressed the town board about the project during the work session, most of whom said they supported the project, but not in its intended location between Peconic and McDermott Avenues.

When Walter asked Business Improvement District president Ray Pickersgill about the consensus from local business owners, Pickersgill said businesses on the south side of Main Street "don't want it there."

Pickersgill added the proposal would be brought up during discussions at the next BID meeting.

Councilmen James Wooten and John Dunleavy both asked Urban Jungle Zip Lines owner John Finnegan if he had considered any other possible locations, such as Grangebel Park or EPCAL. EPCAL has thus far topped the list of alternate locations suggested by those interviewed by RiverheadLOCAL.

At the meeting, only Vic Prusinowski of Cody's BBQ & Grill told the board he is "keeping an open mind" about the proposal in its intended location, adding he hopes to find out more about the project's engineers and construction crews.

Dee Muma, owner of the Dark Horse restaurant, said she objected to cluttering the Peconic Riverfront with "a permanent cheap carnival." Urban Jungle estimates the zip lines would attract around 100 people per weekday and 200 people per day on weekends.

Muma also asked the board who would be liable if anyone were injured during the course of a zip line ride.

Prudenti said her research showed liability would ultimately "fall to the Town of Riverhead," requiring insurance she said was "far more extensive than we've ever had before."

Town Assessor Mason Haas, representing the East Creek Advisory Committee, also approached the board to speak out against the project. He said that the town should be focusing on building foot traffic by better developing boat dockage along the river.

"These are not things you see at marinas," Haas said. "Think twice about this."

Following the meeting, John Finnegan, owner Urban Jungle Zip Lines, told RiverheadLOCAL he was disappointed that his zip line operation may not be green lighted anytime soon.

"I wish there was an answer so we could get it up this year, but it doesn't seem like there's going to be an effort to," said Finnegan. "That's the impression I get because people are talking about 2014."

Photo caption: (Top) John Finnegan, (Right) Ray Pickersgill, (Left) Vic Prusinowski, (Right) Dee Muma

RiverheadLOCAL photos by Emil Breitenbach Jr.