36 LONGISLANDPRESS.COM • JANUARY 2021
Local Long Island Businesses Supporting BY ROBIN KHATSERNOV
This year, as part of its commitment
EACH BUSINESS AWARDED $2,500 IN MARKETING to the Bethpage Best of Long Island
Program and to small businesses
Healthcare workers at Stony Brook University Hospital enjoy Lucky Lou’s Gourmet
across Long Island during this difficult
time, Bethpage Federal Credit Union
organized the Best Small Business Role
Model Giveaway, offering Bethpage Best
of LI 2020 winners an opportunity to
share how they have given back during
the Covid-19 pandemic to support first
responders, their community and
those in need.
Our editors have chosen three
businesses to feature and each will be
given a $2,500 marketing grant for
any Schneps Media digital or print
properties, including the Long Island
Press and Noticia. We spoke with the
owners of Lucky Lou’s Gourmet Rice
Pudding, Middle Country Automotive,
and Certified Cesspool and Drain Inc.
about their charity work.
LUCKY LOU’S OFFERS
SWEETNESS DURING
TRYING TIMES
Maria Camassa is the owner of
Lucky Lou’s Gourmet Rice Pudding,
a Calverton-based wholesale pudding
company with products in 7-Elevens,
gourmet shops and supermarkets from
Montauk to Manhattan.
Although she lost a few large accounts
when the pandemic hit, Camassa
managed to compensate for losses by
creating a successful no-contact delivery
service, which brought Lucky Lou’s
sweet treats to pudding lovers’ homes
and businesses. News 12 Long Island
had also recently filmed a story on the
company and happened to air it right
after the shutdown occurred, which
significantly increased the brand’s visibility.
The proud owner felt grateful
that she was able to continue operating
the business, and wanted to offer a
hand to those facing bigger challenges.
Camassa is on the advisory board
of the Stony Brook Ronald McDonald
House, which serves the needs of families
whose children are hospitalized at
Stony Brook University Hospital. She
knew several nurses at the hospital who
were treating Covid patients, and realized
what they were up against.
“My heart just went out to them,”
she said. “I felt their pain and I admired
them so much for doing what
they were doing. And so we just started
donating cases of rice pudding on a
weekly basis.”
When Stony Brook first responders
raved about Lucky Lou’s delightful
desserts, Camassa and her colleagues
knew they could do even more. As they
continued pudding deliveries, the team
decided to run fundraisers every couple
of weeks to obtain essential items
requested by the healthcare workers.
After she sent out an email blast and
shared a Facebook post promoting the
charity effort, her home quickly became
a drop-off point for donations
from around the community. Lucky
Lou’s coordinated pickups and dropoff
with volunteers from Stony Brook
healthcare staff.
“The response was astounding.”
Camassa shared. “Local residents, organizations
and businesses got together
to donate items for the healthcare
professionals. Some people from out of
state were donating money and asked
me if I could go shopping for them.
“We got pounds of chocolates, cases
of hand lotions, toothpaste, bags of Tshirts,
socks, flip flops, and beautiful
shawls,” she continued. “A lot of people
donated weekly. So many were like,
156 BETHPAGE BEST OF LONG ISLAND 2021 • VOTERS GUIDE • BESTOFLONGISLAND.COM
‘What can I do? What can I donate?’”
“Seeing so many people come together
for the cause was an extremely
rewarding experience,” she added.
“For me personally, it’s just always
overwhelming when people donate. It
just makes you feel good. We are all in
gratitude to the service the healthcare
professionals provided to all during
this critical time in our lives.”
MIDDLE COUNTRY
AUTOMOTIVE GIVES
BACK
When the shutdown went into effect
in March and automotive shops
across the Island were feeling financial
strain, Joe Strazzeri decided that he and
his company Middle Country Automotive
would adapt rather than downsize.
“I was very fortunate because we’re
considered essential,” Strazzeri said.
“A lot of people in my business did
furloughs. I was dead against that, because
I was concerned if I was to do
that I would lose somebody. Most of
my people have families that they’re responsible
for.”
Instead, he chose to prioritize the
well-being of his vulnerable employees
along with his customers. Strazzeri implemented
a series of strict safety measures
at his two shops in Selden and
Centereach, providing personal protective
equipment (PPE) to his entire staff,
installing sneeze guard plastic barriers
on counters, using plastic coverings on
steering wheels and seats, and sanitizing
touchpoints during repairs.
As the owner and his team got used
to the new reality, they wanted to support
others on the frontlines. Strazzeri’s
wife is a healthcare worker, and he saw
firsthand the commitment she and
other first responders had to make as
Covid cases exploded.
Rice Pudding. Photo credit: Stony Brook University Hospital
Brianna Camassa, daughter of Maria Camassa from Lucky Lou’s, brings donations of gourmet
pudding to first responders at Stony Brook University Hospital. Photo Credit: Maria Camassa
Maria Chandler of Middle Country Automotive gathering donations for the company’s
food drive. Photo credit: Middle Country Automotive
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