Written by Cory Twibell, ctwibell@antonnews.com Friday, 04 January 2013 00:00
Hicksville’s Gerard Gagliano and his wife, Barbara, recently had the opportunity to eat alongside the two-time Super Bowl champ and MVP at MetLife Stadium after winning a Dunkin’ Donuts contest on Facebook.
The Hicksville Illustrated News caught up with Gerard regarding his experience.

HI: What was it like meeting Eli?
GG: It was a great experience to meet Eli Manning. He was very laid back and easy to talk to. It was almost unreal being in this big room with all kinds of Giants memorabilia and be able to talk with someone as famous as Eli Manning in a way not many people get a chance to. Overall it was fun.
I got this opportunity just by luck. I saw the ad on TV for the contest during a game and went online and entered. I didn’t even realize you could enter multiple times so it was just one entry that did the trick. I had almost forgotten about it when I received the email to contact the Dunkin’ Donuts people and they told me I won.
HI: Would you call yourself a big Giants fan? What are some of your greatest and worst memories as a fan?
GG: Actually it is my wife, Barbara, that is a big Giants fan and I pretty much entered for her to have a chance to meet Eli. She was at work when I told her we won and was very surprised. I follow them too, but I wouldn’t say I was a die-hard fan. I would say meeting Eli would be my best memory as a fan. I don’t really dwell on the bad stuff, so I probably don’t have many bad memories.
HI: What do you think the team’s chances are this year to make the playoffs and potentially repeat as champs?
GG: Well, I think they are pretty much done as far as making the playoffs this season, but they have pulled off miracles before.
HI: Do you get to many games throughout the season?
GG: We try to get to at least one game every season but I have a wacky work schedule and it is tough sometimes to get my work chart and the game schedule to match up. My wife doesn’t miss a game on TV though, in fact it is not wise to bother her when the Giants are playing and she is watching!
HI: How would you sum up your experience?
GG: It was a nice experience. We got a chance to look around at all the trophies and memorabilia from the team’s history. They had a contest for you to make a Giants doughnut and Eli made one along with everyone else. The question and answer period was great, it really had that feel of sitting at the table having breakfast and chatting with Eli Manning like you were just hanging out at someone’s house. We all got a chance to have a picture taken with him, and overall it was just a great morning.
Thursday, 23 May 2013 00:00
Hicksville native Jae Lee recently rose to the top of his senior class at New York Fashion Institute of Technology (FIT), winning the Critic Award for sportswear. But fashion wasn’t the path that Lee originally chose.
In high school, Lee excelled in art classes and thought that he wanted to go to college and major in fine arts. However, he said, it was while watching an episode of “Project Runway” that he had a revelation. “All of a sudden I was thinking that it was something I could/should do and that’s what kind of led to it,” he said. He made up his mind that he was going to apply to fashion school and enlisted the help of one of his art teachers in school to help him. “We really scrambled and put together this presentation in about two weeks, where other people, I’m sure, worked on theirs for months,” he said. Lee said that when he went to present his portfolio, he didn’t think the meeting went well at all. “Everyone was really well prepared,” he said. But, he admitted, it must have gone better than he thought, because he was accepted to FIT.
Thursday, 23 May 2013 00:00
In the face of cancelled air shows and the downgrading of NYC’s Fleet Week, Nassau County Executive Edward Mangano announced on May 9, that American soldiers will be forever honored on Long Island through the creation of the Museum of American Armor to be built at Old Bethpage Village Restoration thanks, in part, to a million dollar gift from Lawrence Kadish.
“We are watching powerful tributes to our American military reduced or eliminated across the nation and its just plain wrong,” stated County Executive Mangano. “Fortunately, the Memorial Day weekend air show at Jones Beach will be held regardless of the loss of the Thunderbirds, but Fleet Week in New York City will be greatly diminished and across the country air shows are being cancelled weekly. Nassau County is moving in another direction. An armor museum that honors every American soldier will be created on county property this year which will not only pay tribute to those who have defended our nation but will also strengthen the county’s tourism and destination industry and provide a new source of revenue.”
Thursday, 23 May 2013 00:00
The U.S. Tennis Association Long Island Region has recognized several Hicksville residents for their tennis playing or volunteering achievements. The group was honored at the USTA Long Island Region’s 23rd Annual Awards Dinner, which recognizes superior efforts both on and off the tennis court.
Terry Fontana received the Vitas Gerulaitis for the Love of Tennis award. She has been a longtime fixture in the Hicksville tennis community and is the driving force behind the Hicksville Community Tennis Association (CTA), which, since 1995, has been promoting the development of tennis as a means of healthy recreation and physical fitness and to create a community resource for physical activity throughout the area.
Thursday, 23 May 2013 00:00
It was a cold season for softball this year, colder than usual. Anyone who knows the sport recognizes that the weather can be changeable, but this softball season was fraught with snow, pouring rain, cancelled games, frigid temperatures, and blowing winds that would cause any team to crave the warmth of indoors.
That wasn’t the case with the Hicksville High School Lady Comets Varsity Softball team. They played through it all like champions, and endured the rough weather like superstars.
Bonsai Day
Saturday, May 25
Parade Announcement
Monday, May 27
Fire Department History
Wednesday, May 29
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