Ground Broken On 'Leadership Café' At Tri-CYA

Schwind, along with members of the Class of 2018: Kristine Casper, Richard Hasse, Cindy Grimm, William Thomas, Liz Uzzo, Martine MacDonald and Jacob Turner.

A hammer and saw can make a world of difference as the Leadership Huntington Foundation’s Class of 2018 showed last weekend.

On Sunday, members of the class broke down walls at the kick-off of its class project to turn the kitchen at the local youth organization Tri-CYA into the “Leadership Café.”

“It’s amazing to see how much the space opened up; it’s really going to be a great teaching area for the kids to learn about healthy cooking and preparing meals,” class member Cindy Grimm said.

Added Foundation Executive Director Stephanie Gotard, “The Class of 2018 has made a great deal of progress on their class project. They are committed to seeing the completion of the Leadership Cafe by their June graduation.”

The goal of the project is to provide Tri-CYA with a modern and versatile kitchen facility that will enable students to prepare fresh, healthy meals and avoid reliance on processed and fast foods.

With the first day of construction behind them, the class is now focused on installing new cabinets, countertops and appliances. To help cut down on costs, the class is hoping for a donation of paint from a local supplier.

“As a group, we’ve been fundraising and have had some donations already come in,” class member Liz Uzzo said.

John’s Crazy Socks has donated money for a new refrigerator, while National Grid has donated a new convection oven.

“We’re still in the process of raising funds for more of the finishing touches,” Grimm said, adding, “We’d like to set up a café area with tables and chairs where the kids can sit and eat comfortably, and also use the area as a quiet study space.”

The last piece to go in will be a commemorative plaque listing all the donors to the project. Uzzo added, “We are so grateful for all the community support we’ve received!”

Tri-CYA, located at 809 New York Ave., Huntington Station, is a nonprofit that provides afterschool care for students in the local community.

Leadership Huntington officials are seeking donations and contributions to the project, including local chefs interested in demonstrating healthy and tasty cooking methods for Tri-CYA students.

Those interested in helping can contact Gotard at sgotard@leadershiphuntington.org or 631-813-4757.