All America - SuffolkJournal.com

Town Chosen All-America Finalist
by Jane Lee Bock

May 8, 2002 (click on pictures for larger view)

On May 1st, one of Suffolk's towns garnered major bragging rights. It was on that day that the Huntington Chamber of Commerce received word that Huntington was selected as a finalist in the National Civic League's (NCL) annual All-America City competition.

At a press conference held to jointly announce the finalist designation and introduce the Chamber's new East Main Street headquarters, Chamber CEO Dennis Sneden said, "This designation is a tremendous honor. Our vision as a chamber has been to become a regional business partnership and a community resource center. I believe we have made that commitment to meet those needs and work in collaboration with all the agencies."

Sharing a letter he received from Chris Gates, president of the NCL, Sneden added, "Huntington serves as a model for the rest of the country. It is tackling challenges that seem insurmountable and is producing positive and tangible and results with ingenuity and collaboration."

It is the second time Huntington has been selected as a finalist in the All-America City Award competition, which is designed to encourage and recognize civic excellence, honoring communities of all sizes in which citizens, government, business and nonprofit organizations work together to address critical local issues.

The chamber must make a presentation in Kansas City this June to support its request for the All-America City designation. In its presentation it will include information about three projects, according to Executive Director Ellen O'Brien. The Family Service League's Manor Field Center which provides bilingual services for the town's growing Latino community will be one of the projects featured. The second is Highview at Huntington, a 100+ unit affordable housing complex constructed across the street from the Long Island Railroad Station in Huntington Station. The third is a youth project based on the town's cumulative response to youth violence where more than 300 youth pledged to interrupt violence and stop hate. Last year's effort at securing the prize cost upwards of $100,000, and the chamber took nearly 80 people to Atlanta for the finalist presentation.

"It is our third year of entering, our second year of being a finalist, and hopefully our first year of winning," said Ken Christensen, project chairman.

"None of the projects could have made it on their own," said Supervisor Frank Petrone. "They all work with each other. When we bring back that designation this year there will be a parade on Main Street."

The Chamber's new offices will also be the site of some new promotional programs. In combination with the All America campaign the chamber is selling bricks for its new walkway. The front sidewalk of the building will be lined with bricks bearing the names of donors, and a "friendship circle" focusing on the town's nonprofit agencies will surround the flagpole which bears a flag that was flown over the Capitol in 1999.

"As a lead business agency we need to be on Main Street. Hopefully we will be able to move into this new facility by the early summer," said Sneden.

Pictured: Scott Passeser, LIA Staffing and Host of Jobline, Diane Zalka, Harborfields School to Career Coordinator and Councilwoman Susan Berland recently shared career advice with students at Harborfields High School