Senator Kemp Hannon invited local residents to nominate friends, co-workers and neighborhood leaders whose outstanding work on behalf of our communities makes them deserving of special recognition by the State Senate as a New York "Woman of Distinction."

The Senate will honor distinguished women from our area and throughout the state at a June 3 Albany reception, where each honoree's photograph and biography will become part of a special exhibit proclaiming the special contributions of exemplary New York women.

"There are remarkable women in our midst whose lives, work or special accomplishments contribute to making our communities better, making our families stronger and serve as special examples to others," said Hannon. "The Senate's 'Woman of Distinction' program provides a special opportunity to honor these women for their achievements and to thank them for the special pride they bring to our communities."

Previous winners in the annual event have included leading women from the worlds of business, academics and civic life, as well as those who have performed heroic or selfless acts, made significant discoveries or provided examples of personal excellence against difficult odds.

Women who live in the Sixth Senate District, which includes all of Garden City, Levittown, Island Trees, Plainedge, North Massapequa, Old Bethpage, Hempstead and Uniondale and parts of Bethpage, East Meadow, Farmingdale, Franklin Square, Hicksville, Massapequa, North Bellmore, Plainview, Seaford, Wantagh, West Hempstead and Westbury are eligible to be considered as a "Woman of Distinction."

Special nomination forms are available by contacting Hannon's office at 222-0068. Nominations must be submitted by Wednesday, March 19.

The "Women of Distinction" program was created as part of the Senate's celebration of Women's History Month. In addition to recognizing present-day women, from March 10 through March 21, the Senate will host a display that honors other distinguished women from New York's past, from leaders of the 19th century suffragist movement to pioneers in education, science and the arts.

Present-day "Women of Distinction" will be honored in a separate display in June.

Senator Kemp Hannon is sponsoring a free forum for senior citizens, their families and those planning for the future about elder and estate law, long-term care issues and Medicare and Medicaid. The program, "Protecting Your Life's Work in an Uncertain World," will be held Tuesday, March 25 at the Garden City Public Library, 1-3 p.m.

"I am offering this free forum because the 'golden years' can be difficult for seniors and their families who very often don't understand what their options are or even worse, are not prepared to deal with the loss of income or an illness. It is my hope that with a better understanding of services, our 'golden years' can be a time to do the things we've always dreamed about," said Senator Hannon.

The forum,"Protecting Your Life's Work in an Uncertain World," will feature the following four panelists: Raymond P. Donnelly, certified senior advisor; Elizabeth Pollina-Donlon, an estate planning attorney; Sheila M. Lyons, an elder law attorney and certified social worker; and John Coyle, an expert on Medicaid reimbursement for home health aid. Senator Hannon said, "They will guide us through the complex and complicated world of elder law, long-term care planning and estate planning."

In addition to the seminar, free materials will be available about long-term care insurance and other issues of concern to senior citizens. The Garden City Public Library is located at 60 Seventh Street. Registration for the program opens at 12:45 p.m. To reserve a seat, call Senator Hannon's community office at 222-0068.