FOR BREAKING NEWS VISIT WWW.QNS.COM JULY 8, 2021 • BUZZ • THE QUEENS COURIER 39
Victoria’s
SECRETS
Victoria
SCHNEPSYUNIS
vschneps@gmail.com
tweet me @vschneps
Help me!
During the joyous July 4
holiday weekend, I took
time to visit outlets
where my newspapers are distributed.
I was shocked to learn
that some big box stores in the
communities we serve have been
rejecting our papers!
We are the community and
so are they! If you are out and
about and notice our community
papers are missing, I’d be
very grateful if you would tell the
manager you want to pick them
up in their store!
Ironically, the family- owned
stores happily receive us. Make
sure you thank and patronize
them. Aft er all, small businesses
are the backbone of the
community!
GIVING BACK
On July 4, my new best friends
Carol and Jerry Levin invited
me to their spectacular home,
which we recently featured in
our Dan’s Papers Behind the
Hedges magazine.
Th ey are prolifi c philanthropists,
having raised more than $1
billion for special causes.
I met them at the beautiful
Hampton Synagogue in
Westhampton Beach, where
Carol serves as president
under the
leadership of
the extraordinarily
successful RabbiMarc Schneier.
He just announced that the
congregation’s newest project, a
facility for children across the
street from the synagogue, will
have 36 windows created by
the masterful glass artist, world
recognized Chihuly.
Additionally, on Mill Road
in front of the newly renovated
building, Chihuly will create his
fi rst ever glass sculpture memorializing
the Holocaust. Th e
enormous installation will have
a huge impact on Westhampton
Beach! More to come!
Th e sun fi nally appeared in
the aft ernoon and a glow of
light lit up the Levins’ lush backyard
for a benefi t helping Our
Children. It’s important mission
is to help youth to prevent and
recover from alcohol, drug and
substance abuse!
MY VISIT TO MONTAUK
I was delighted to take the
hour trip from Westhampton to
Montauk to meet the members
of the Montauk Chamber of
Commerce who were sponsoring
a gathering at the beautifully
restored and spectacularly set
Gurney’s Star Island Resort &
Marina (formerly the Montauk
Yacht Club).
It faces Lake Montauk and
consists mostly of beautiful fi shing
boats lining the marina.
Upon arriving, I felt like I
stepped into another world. Th e
hotel has its own beach, three
swimming pools and a restaurant
on the deck facing the marina.
Th ere are even boats available
to rent.
Th e chamber event was on
the waterfront deck contiguous
to the restaurant and the warm
breezes from the lake made it a
magical setting.
I had previously met chamber’s
Board President Paul Monte,
who has roots in Brooklyn,
as did the famous
Monte family
who ran Gurney’s for decades.
My friend Pat Condren from
Bay Ridge and Westhampton
walked down memory lane
with Paul recalling with him the
Monte family roots in Brooklyn.
At the chamber gathering was
the very knowledgeable Michael
Nenner, the general manager
who oversees Gurney’s properties.
I was thrilled to learn that
he went to Queens College!
His new owners have restored
and elegantly decorated the
beloved properties. My favorite
destination is Gurney’s
Montauk Resort and Seawater
Spa on the ocean. Th e spa is
closed undergoing a complete
makeover. I can’t wait for the late
fall reopening!
I like to say that life for me is a
giant spider web. As I was talking
with some chamber members,
Guy Schaefer came
over and asked me,
“Aren’t you Vicki
Schneps from the
Bethpage Credit
Union Best of Long
Island event?” He joyfully
shared with me that
he won the competition eight
years in a row for his Skyway
Pest Management company!
It was a joyous night of making
many new friends — just what
business gatherings are all about!
WITH GRIEF
But there was sadness,
too, as Robert
Pozarycki, our cherished
editor of amNewYork
Metro and
our Manhattan weekly
papers, buried his
beloved dad Robert.
My deepest condolences
to the Pozarycki
family.
Jerry was dressed in red, white
and blue from head to toe!
As a bonus
for me, my
children visited
and made the
July 4 weekend
one for the
memory book
of my mind!
Kay Tyler, the executive director of the
Montauk Chamber of Commerce, and
Board President Paul Monte.
Gurney’s management
leader Michael Nenner.
Bethpage Credit Union
Best of Long Island
winner Guy Schaefer.
Kay Tyler and Pat Condren
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