24 The Courier SUN • AUGUST 1, 2013 for breaking news visit www.couriersun.com SCOTT BARON’S STAR OF QUEENS Len Santoro American Cancer Society Juniper Park Civic Asociation COMMUNITY SERVICE: Len Santoro started working with the American Cancer Society three years ago. It was his first time volunteering for such a group. Since then, Santoro has worked on several fundraising projects for the society. He also helped work with financial services company Standard & Poor’s to organize a volunteer day. Around the same time, Santoro started working with the Juniper Park Civic Association (JPCA) after seeing all the work that it does for the community. With the JPCA, he organized neighborhood cleanups, tree plantings and much more. He also helped revive and expand its youth organization. With Santoro’s help, the JPCA has worked alongside the Maspeth High School Green Club, Stop & Shop, the 104th Precinct and others. BACKGROUND: Santoro was born in Brooklyn, where he lived until he was eight years old. After moving to Ridgewood in 1978, he stayed there for 13 years before moving to Middle Village and then Forest Hills. In addition to his community service, Santoro also works for the IT Department of Standard & Poor’s. “That job is interesting,” he said. “But it’s the community service that’s really important to me. Society has really opened up my eyes to volunteering, and after my mother was diagnosed with cancer, I found that it was through volunteer work that I was able to feel as though I was doing something to help her and others. It empowers you to make you feel that you can make a difference.” FAVORITE MEMORY: “My favorite memory is probably when I was looking for my first apartment, when I was moving from Middle Village to Forest Hills. At that time, I was becoming more independent. My stepfather taught me a lot about how to negotiate in a way that let me know that I have a voice. He showed me that I’m the buyer in that situation, and if there’s something I want to go my way, I have to say something. That relates to my community service because that period was definitely a period of growth for me.” BIGGEST CHALLENEGE: “I think my biggest challenge is getting volunteers during the summer, especially for the Relay for Life. The challenge there is always getting donations and awareness out on what we do. The biggest advantage that the American Cancer Society has over other organizations is that it offers patient services, does research and doesn’t just focus on one particular cancer.” INSPIRATION: “I think a lot of my inspiration comes from my mother. I have two older siblings, and even though my parents divorced when I was eight years old, my mother took care of us all by herself. She always put our needs ahead of her own, and that’s what community service is all about, being able to give up your time, but doing it because it makes you feel good. When people appreciate the work that’s being done, that’s a feeling that you can’t describe and can’t replace. My other inspiration is my wife, who was working with the American Cancer Society and encouraged me to become a part of it, and that helped kick off some of the other volunteer work I’ve done since then.” brought to you by SCOTT BARON & ASSOCICATES, P.C. Attorneys & Counselors at Law 1-866-WAS-HURT (866) 927-4878 718.738.9800 BY JOHANN HAMILTON star OF queens Legally Speaking By: Scott Baron, Attorney at Law REPAIRING MY TRUCK Q: I am a self-employed trucker. One day, a detached garage located on our property caught fire, destroying the garage and damaging certain property stored therein. The fire occurred while I was attempting to repair an oil leak on my freightliner truck that I used to haul logs. At the time of the fire, our property was covered by a homeowner’s insurance policy. The insurer has partially denied coverage for our losses – pursuant to a ‘business’ exclusion. We had built the garage so that I could pursue my woodworking hobby, as well as have a place to store and repair equipment used in my landscaping business, which already was defunct. We parked vehicles in the garage only when they needed repairs. A: The pivotal issue is whether your use of the garage unambiguously falls within the definition of business contained in the policy – whether your repair activity was engaged in for economic gain and on a regular basis. You were not acting as a vehicle mechanic or in the business of vehicle repair or restoration, per se. Your repair efforts led to economic gain only indirectly. What is more, your repair activity appears only to have been sporadic or infrequent - not pursuant to some full-time or part-time schedule. While the insurer’s construction may arguably be reasonable, it is not the only fair one. Usually, when such an exclusion is interpreted in favor of the insurer, the case involves business activities that result directly in the acquisition of economic gain. Your attorney will argue that your now-and-then activity in repairing this truck yourself, to save the cost of taking it to a professional mechanic, was not an excluded use under the policy. Given that the insurer bears the burden of establishing the applicability of an exclusion, and that any ambiguity in an exclusion must be strictly construed against the insurer, yours appears to be a winning case. Advertorial The law responds to changed conditions; exceptions and variations abound. Here, the information is general; always seek out competent counsel. This article shall not be construed as legal advice Copyright © 2013 Scott Baron & Associates, P.C. All rights reserved. 159-49 Cross Bay Boulevard, Howard Beach, New York 11414 1750 Central Park Avenue, Yonkers, NY 10710 718-738-9800, 914-337-9800, 1-866-927-4878 Our job is making sure no longer goes that waste to waste. Find out more at ThinkGreen.com Energy creation. Recycling programs. Closed-loop solutions. Those are just a few of the innovations we’re delivering for customers and communities alike. We live in a world where things can no longer go to waste. That’s why Waste Management is working to get the most from resources. It’s good for business and the environment. ©2012 Waste Management, Inc.
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