‘My biggest wake-up call was when my grandfather told me in the ICU to take better care of myself.’

West Islip

“In January last year, I was pushing 300 pounds. My 2022 New Year’s resolution was to lose weight. I weigh 208 pounds now. My biggest wake-up call was when my grandfather told me in the ICU to take better care of myself.

“He was suffering from congestive heart failure and wasn’t able to say much, so I had to listen closely. We lost him on Father’s Day. I went to the hospital to deliver a card for him. Unfortunately, they pronounced him deceased in front of my mother and me.

“I have always had an extreme personality. I needed something dramatic to wake me up and turn the lights on. I especially knew that about myself in 2018, when I caught the bug doing stand-up. It gave me lots of opportunities. I was the opening act for Robert Kelly and Rich Vos at NYCB Theatre at Westbury, with only six months in the game. But the lifestyle of comedy shows was a pretty unhealthy one. I cared more about being funny than I cared about my health.

I wasn’t just searching for weight loss, but also to find balance, set attainable goals, but to still dream big.

“My decision to lose weight started after I went to Cabo San Lucas, Mexico with my family. I was looking at the pictures and wanted to delete every single one of them. With the power of carb-cutting, Peloton and the help of my friends, Brett and John, I was able to see fast results again. But this time, it was for my health.

“I made the decision to put performing stand-up in the rear-view mirror but still help promote shows virtually. I collaborated with Long Island Wise Guy on Instagram and made the connection to promote prominent shows at the Paramount in Huntington. I also co-produced the 2022 “Long Island Laugh Off” at Governor’s Comedy Club as a part of my show biz send-off.

“Ironically, I used to have a bit in my act that made fun of group [fitness] training, but little did I realize that group training would change my life forever.

“I look forward to my 4:45 a.m. routine at OG Training Academy in Lindenhurst, to hit the shower and head to my career working for my family’s business.

“My grandpa was the number one guy who pushed me and encouraged me, and he still is. I hear his motivating words when I train; I still feel a connection with him in that way. I wasn’t just searching for weight loss, but also to find balance, set attainable goals, but to still dream big.”

Interviewed by Rachel O’Brien – Morano

‘If you are open to moving forward, life opens up for you.’

Oyster Bay

“When I first started losing my vision, I had been a professor of English literature at LIU Post for over 50 years, directed the Poetry Center and Honors College on the campus, and ran a publication called the New Feral Press with my now-late husband, John.

“At first, the symptoms of my failing eyesight were minor; I found that I could no longer decipher handwritten papers, and I had such difficulty reading point-12 type that I had to ask my students to submit their papers in 16-point fonts. When I could no longer see the text in books clearly enough to read aloud during class, I knew it was time to retire. I was diagnosed with a condition called dry macular degeneration.

“It was difficult to give up driving, but it was even harder to give up reading after a lifetime of teaching English. Luckily, in this day and age there are many auditory options for listening to books, such as podcasts and narrations, so I don’t miss out on enjoying well-written literature even though I can no longer read even enlarged text.

Even though I don’t see as well as I used to, I still find ways to form connections with people and animals.

“Macular degeneration causes things that should be straight to look wavy, and it can also cause black spots to form in parts of my vision. I do not let this disease stop me from enjoying my life, though. I just turned 80 and have a loving boyfriend who reads to me, drives for me and travels the world with me.

“Several years before I started losing my vision, I embraced the artform of ceramic sculpture, and I have since crafted hundreds of figures, many of which are based on famous characters from literary tales. I can no longer see details, so my boyfriend helps by adding the finishing touches to the pieces I am currently making.

“I still love animals. I feed stray cats, visit the equestrian center at LIU and adore camels. I can still walk, cook, dotai chi, write poetry and make things. I can appreciate what’s around me and take it all in. Even though I don’t see as well as I used to, I still find ways to form connections with people and animals. If you are open to moving forward, life opens up for you.”

‘If you find something you really love, stick with it. If it brings you happiness and makes you smile, just do it.’

Hicksville

“I’ve been dancing since I was 5. I grew up in the Bronx and went to the Paula Payson School of Dance. When I got married, I moved to Queens and then to Long Island, but no matter where I lived, I never stopped dancing.

“I taught elementary school in New York City for 34 years. After I retired in 2003, I inquired about joining the Red Hot Mamas dance troupe,but at that time, they were not accepting any new members.

“One day in 2009, my husband saw an advertisement in Newsday; the Red Hot Mamas were holding auditions. I applied, got accepted and have been a proud member of the group ever since. I have always loved tap dancing because it is a form of dance that turns your feet into instruments, and I love the sound my shoes make when they hit the floor. I have taken ballet and jazz, but nothing appeals to me quite like tap does.

Dancing is such a great exercise that taps into your physical, mental and emotional heath.

“The Red Hot Mamas perform a lot of Broadway-style tap dances — costumes and all — at venues such as senior citizen centers and libraries. We also appear at Heckscher Park in Huntington every year as part of the summer concert series.

“Once, we even auditioned for ‘America’s Got Talent’! We didn’t make the cut, but it was a fun experience. I love the camaraderie I have with the other women and the delighted reactions we get from audiences. I have six grandchildren and two of them, Layla and Jack, are dancers.

“In June of 2023, the Ella Marie School of Dance in Hicksville, where I have been a student for almost 30 years, is holding a 60th anniversary recital. I will be performing onstage with both of my grandchildren in honor of the occasion. I’m very excited because that will be the highlight of my career as a dancer. I am now 77 years old and I have been very lucky to maintain my movement, even though I don’t kick as high as I used to.

“Dancing is such a great exercise that taps into your physical, mental and emotional heath. It’s my drug of choice, and I get a rush of endorphins whenever I am onstage. If you find something you really love, stick with it. If it brings you happiness and makes you smile, just do it.”

Interviewed by Meagan Meehan

‘It’s been a hard journey. I used to work in fine dining in the city.’

Rockville Centre

“When I was a kid, I didn’t really know I was adopted, but I felt like I was. It was a gut feeling. I was always confused as to why my parents were both intellectual and why I hated school. Why am I not interested in anything they want to do? But then again, what kid is?

“My mom’s always been a great cook; she’s one of my biggest inspirations for this whole journey. My dad, too. My family is very food orientated. When I was really young, I had this exposure that kids my age had no idea about. When I was 5, I had caviar, escargot and mussel pots.

“My dad grew up old-school Italian. His parents were off the boat. They had their name changed at Ellis Island. He has some things he can make better than I can — spaghetti and meatballs, ravioli, eggplant parmesan, lasagna. These things his mother taught him to make as a kid. He makes them better than anyone else.

“My mom grew up in Ohio, which is like beef and potatoes. She really strived to get away from the Midwest. She has a PhD in speech pathology. She really wanted to open a restaurant, but one of her patients said, ‘You’re way too nice for this industry.’ I think I’m living out her dream in a way.

“It’s been a hard journey. I used to work in fine dining in the city. Then COVID happened, and I took a step back. My parents are older; my dad has cancer. I moved back in with my parents to take care of them. They’re happy to see me doing something I was passionate about. They’ve been extremely supportive. Every restaurant I’ve ever opened they were there every night. Now that they can’t come every night, I bring food home for them.

“When I was offered the opportunity to work at a pub, I was like, ‘I went to the Culinary Institute of America, worked at Westchester Country Club, worked at Le Bernardin the city. Now I’m going to make chicken wings?’ It has changed my life. It taught me how to have a better way of life. Instead of trying to burn yourself out and being afraid of messing up a dish because the chef will come after you, here I’m afraid of messing up a dish because the people that come in are family.”

Interviewed by Tracey Cheek

‘It’s rare that you can do something in your life that the only purpose is enjoyment.’

Huntington

“I absolutely loved theater in high school, but I was never an actress. To be perfectly honest, I wasn’t pretty enough to be an actress. So I became a director, but as much as I loved it, there was no way to make a living. I went into English, went into public education, then became an assistant professor at Marymount Manhattan College. I always say it was the best gig I ever had, but then they closed the department.

“I was a teacher for over 40 years. People think stand-up is hard, but really, I did it every day for 40 years. The performing was revived after retirement. I did some small roles in community theater, joined a chorus; I’d always danced. I loved the camaraderie, I loved being onstage, I loved the challenge of it. It’s rare that you can do something in your life that the only purpose is enjoyment. It isn’t to achieve a degree; been there, done that. I have a doctorate. It’s just for the sheer joy of performing and being with people.

“So I was driving to dance class, listening to ‘Netflix Is a Joke’ on [the radio], and I thought, well, I can do that. Then I thought, don’t be ridiculous; I don’t know anything about it. I took a six-week class at Governor’s Comedy Club. I’ve taken many courses with many comics because I learn from all of them, and because education is my thing. The course ended with a stand-up routine, and I found it challenging. Producers started calling me to perform in the city. I performed at Dangerfield’s, Gotham [Comedy Club], Comedy Cellar, all over. You get a feel for different audiences and what flies.

“My humor comes from my life, as with many comics, like my daughter moving home after COVID. She was home for five months, and that was enough for both of us. Now she’s happily engaged, and I like to think I’m responsible for that. You have to find the humor; humor can get you through it. This is not a career. A career is where you really pursue it, you go on the road, you do it six nights a week. It’s not my life, it’s an avocation. I’ve had a moderate amount of success. I’ve learned so much from the wonderful comics I’ve met. Life is all about learning. To me, you never stop learning. Humor has been my sustenance my entire life. It’s gotten me through everything.”

‘The arts saved my life.’

Westbury

“I was born in the Dominican Republic and came to America with my parents when I was 13 years old. I initially thought I was on vacation, so it was a shock when I learned that we were all staying! In my hometown, a simple greeting is part of our values, even between strangers, so it was a culture shock to realize that it wasn’t the norm here.

“I attended Brentwood High School, learned English, and became the family translator. I ultimately became the first person in my family to attend college. While I was at Stony Brook University, I overheard a professor analyzing literature in Spanish. I was so intrigued that I signed up for her class and changed my major to Spanish language and literature. Simultaneously, I got a teaching certificate and eventually earned a graduate degree. This was a very rewarding experience for me since I inspired younger relatives to attain a higher education, too. I also use my own experiences to inspire my students, many of whom are immigrants from Spanish-speaking countries who face many challenges adjusting to American life and the English language.

I am the founder of Cuentos de Triadas, which is an organization that focuses on creating culturally enriching experiences for Long Island communities.

“In 2007, I went through a very severe depression. While I enjoyed crafting stories and poems since the age of 8, literature and writing helped me find my purpose during those hard times. The arts saved my life. After I recovered, I started delving into poetry readings and art shows and organizing cultural events. I am the founder of Cuentos de Triadas, which is an organization that focuses on creating culturally enriching experiences for Long Island communities.

“So far, the highlight of my career was meeting artist Francisco Poblet, who was the last apprentice of Salvador Dali. He came to the official Westbury Arts gallery opening in 2021, which turned out to be his final public event before he passed away. In the future, I will continue writing and sharing stories that benefit underrepresented youth. I am currently working on my first English-language poetry book. I also plan to continue bringing cultural programs into schools to celebrate our diverse heritage and culture.”

Interviewed by Meagan Meehan

‘We help girls become leaders, to use their voice and take charge of their course of care while helping others.’

Smithtown

“Our daughter Leah was diagnosed with scoliosis in 2004. She was turning 12 and going into middle school and had to wear a hard plastic back brace 24/7 in an attempt to avoid spine surgery. She said she wanted to talk with other kids dealing with wearing a brace and worrying about surgery, so I took her to a support meeting at a local hospital. We entered a room with all adults, some of whom had more advanced conditions. As we left the meeting, she said she really liked the meeting but wished there were one just like that for kids. I told her if she wanted, she could start one.

“I helped her create a flyer that she passed out to her doctors. In 2006, Leah held her first peer-led meeting in our backyard with three other girls. I was so focused on helping her, it hadn’t occurred to me that the moms might also want to meet. Being a clinical social worker, it was a comfortable role, so while Leah ran a kids group, I held a parent meeting. That’s how Curvy Girls got started.

“In 2009, Leah was featured on Nickelodeon’s “HALO Awards Show” and appeared on national TV. The show made kids think scoliosis and bracing were cool, rather than something to hide. Girls from around the country emailed asking how to start their own group. We became a nonprofit and provided support and guidance to girls around the world. We held our first international convention in 2012, bringing together 150 girls and parents for community building and leadership training.

“This coming June, we will hold our fifth Biennial International Curvy Girls Scoliosis Convention on Long Island. We now have a mentor program, where girls who started with us as young teens train new leaders. We want kids and families to know they are not alone! We recently published our second book, ‘Straight Talk Scoliosis,’ to address the challenges of scoliosis, and created a scoliosis activity book for younger kids, ‘Finding Curvy Girls.’ While doing research for our first book, co-author Terry Mulvaney learned about a European-based physical therapy that complements bracing. Since that time, CG, headed by Terry, along with her daughter Rachel, have been the voices of change for the course of care in the U.S. The impact is widespread.”

“Curvy Girls is a peer-run support program for girls with scoliosis that teaches girls how to be leaders in their community. But CG is about more than scoliosis. It’s about empowering girls to go beyond themselves and experience the impact of making a difference. It’s about turning challenges into triumphs. It’s about teaching lifelong coping skills, about resilience and personal growth.

“Group is the most effective mode of impact for teens because it uses the power of positive peer pressure. We believe in face-to-face meetings because it’s important, especially in this day and age, for young people to connect. During COVID, we pivoted virtually and now do a combo of in-person and online. While Leah has aged out of leading and works full time in advertising, she remains the board president, overseeing 100 groups across 21 countries and having touched upwards of 5,000 kids and parents since our inception. Each year, one out of 40 kids will be diagnosed with scoliosis, so there will always be new members to support.

“While it didn’t occur to me back in 2006 that Curvy Girls would be what it is today, it filled an unmet need in the scoliosis world. We couldn’t understand why there wasn’t a support group for kids. I wanted to empower Leah to have the best tools to cope with being a middle schooler who worried about fitting in. Leah went away to college and I got joy from helping the next set of leaders. The growth was organic; we just responded to the needs as they presented. Leah made it clear what she needed, and now we have this extended reach around the world. We help girls become leaders, to use their voice and take charge of their course of care while helping others. You know that the best way to lift yourself up when feeling down is to help someone else! We teach our leaders to pass on the message that today you show up for yourself, and tomorrow you do it for the next girl. That way it’s contagious!”

Interviewed by Liza Burby

‘Trees are my muses; I love how their colors and shapes change with each season.’

Montauk

“I grew up in Manhattan but spent most of my childhood summers in Montauk with my parents. I graduated from the Parsons School of Design and worked as an illustrator for women’s magazines for 18 years. The illustration industry started to become increasingly digital, so I retired in June last year and moved to Montauk.

“I now devote a lot of time to painting. Trees are my muses; I love how their colors and shapes change with each season. I am very involved with the community. I am currently the vice president of the Montauk Artists Association. I was very involved with the restoration of the Depot Art Gallery of Montauk. We repainted and installed a new floor, walls and lights. This gallery has such a fascinating history. It used to be a railroad depot, and when the building was shut down, a jazz musician named Percy Heath, who lived on the East End, convinced the local officials that Montauk needed an arts center.

Having an art center brings the community together especially because we accept various styles of artwork and people of all skill levels can become members.

“In 1998, the building was gifted to the Montauk Artists Association and subsequently became known as the Depot Art Gallery. This year marks the 25th anniversary of the Depot Art Gallery and the MAA being in operation, and we are going to celebrate both our past and our aspirations for the future! In honor of Percy’s memory, we are concentrating on having live music at our exhibition openings, and we also want to offer music education opportunities for students of all ages.

“We are also hoping to exhibit artwork by local high school students in May. The Montauk Artists Association also organizes two annual fine art exhibitions called ‘Shows on the Green’ in June and August. At these two outdoor shows, over 70 art exhibitors come from all over the country for three full days to show and sell their work. Right now, the Depot Art Gallery is seasonal, which means that it is only open from mid-May to mid-October. However, we hope to make it a year-round venue. Having an art center brings the community together especially because we accept various styles of artwork and people of all skill levels can become members.”

Interviewed by Meagan Meehan

‘We are teaching people about the poverty that exists out in the Hamptons, and that is part of the battle.’

Water Mill

“I was born and raised in Sweden and had never seen poverty there. When I moved out here with my husband and two children from New York City in 2015. I thought the Hamptons was a place where everyone was doing well.

“I quickly learned there are children who have nothing to do all summer and don’t have enough food at home. They’d spend summer in the back of their parents’ car waiting for them to be done with work or in front of the TV all day by themselves. This inspired me to start Hamptons Art Camp, a free summer camp for underserved children.

“My goal was and still is to give them opportunities typically only afforded by privileged children. The first summer, we hosted 40 kids. Last summer we had over 140.

“When the pandemic hit, I reached out to the different communities in which I work as a social worker and asked how I could help. I visited migrant camps, people living in the woods, people sleeping behind churches and reached out to community leaders, and all of them said they needed food.

“In 2020, I fundraised $250,000 and about $70,000 in food donations. I identified struggling restaurants and used the fundraised dollars to buy meals from them. We delivered 6,500 cooked meals purchased from restaurants, 19,500 pounds of fresh produce and groceries bi-monthly to 250 families.

“At that time, we morphed into Hamptons Community Outreach. Through 2021, we kept fundraising and received donations through grants, family foundations, clubs and individuals which totaled $690,000. With that money, we added on programs to help with needs that we discovered while delivering the food.

“People would ask me to see how they lived. They were living with black toxic mold, no heat, collapsing ceilings, without proper flooring. I was just appalled and horrified, so we started a housing repair program. Also, parents would tell me their children were falling through the cracks at school, so we started a tutoring program.

“People also asked for medical help, which made us start a medical program which pays for surgeries and dental procedures. We also added a birthday club to help children celebrate their birthday.

“We have kept growing and now have four programs: a food program that feeds 400 people a week; a mental health program; a crisis program that includes home repair, medical services and restoring vital services such as electricity and phone service; and a child-centered outreach program that includes tutoring for 36 children weekly, a birthday club and the summer camp.

“It also includes winter coat, clothing and shoe distributions and more to children in need. Hamptons Community Outreach only has two full-time employees, but we have contractors and a large, amazing group of volunteers.

Interviewed by Liza Burby