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On January 19, Supervisor
Mark L e s k o , D e p u t y Supervisor Kathleen Walsh and
Councilwoman Jane Bonner were on hand to present
certificates of appreciation to volunteers from Building
Hope for Long Island at the site of a home that is being
rebuilt for the family of James and Christine Shajian of
Mount Sinai.
Mr. Shaljian, who has
Hodgkin’s Lymphoma, was forced to move out of the family
home due to a severe mold problem that threatened his
health. A friend who knew o f the situation nominated the
family to appear the television program “Extreme Makeover:
Home Edition,” but the family was not chosen.
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| Then,
local contractors stepped up to form Building Hope for Long
Island and made the Shaljian’s plight their first project.
The organization is constructing the new home with donations
of money and building materials from residents and local
companies. Those who want to donate can go to
buildinghopeforli.org for more information. The Town of
Brookhaven waived all fees associated with demolition a n d
construction totaling more than $20,000.
“It’s great to see so
many people in the Brookhaven community come together to
help the Shaljian family,” said Supervisor Lesko. “I am
always impressed by the generosity of those who unselfishly
donate their money, time and talent to help their neighbors
and ask for nothing in return.” He continued, “Thanks to
Building Hope for Long Island and all those who
participated, the Shaljian’s can now look forward to a
brighter future.”
“Being part of a project
like this is truly the most satisfying part of holding
public office. Seeing so many groups coming together to help
this family is tremendously rewarding. It is my hope that
all involved receive the blessing of good health and the
satisfaction that kindness brings, ” said Deputy
Supervisor/ Councilwoman Kathleen Walsh.
“A new home is really a
dream come true for James, Christine and their children,”
said Councilwoman Bonner. “This has been a community
effort that we can all be proud of and I commend Building
Hope for Long Island, the volunteers, Four Seasons Home
Products and other companies that donated building
materials, because this could never have happened without
their help. I look forward to being there when the Shaljian’s
finally move in.”
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