For the past 16 years, State Bank of Long Island Senior Vice President Robert J. Valli, of New Hyde Park, has rounded up volunteers from the bank, and from various other venues, and they all travel to the AHRC (Association for the Help of Retarded Children) Brookville facility.

They climb on the stage and with the help of Valli and his guitar and AHRC music specialist Norman Glanzman and his guitar, they hold an old-fashioned sing-a-long filled with a variety of Christmas and Chanukah songs. All of the AHRC consumers who attend the event with their onsite caregivers are thrilled and sing right along with the group.

Halfway during the sing Santa Claus arrives, who in reality is retired State Bank of Long Island Vice-President Frank DeGary, and he makes his way, ringing his bells, through the auditorium greeting all of the consumers who are so happy to see him and call to him as he makes his rounds.

Many of the consumers are invited on the stage to help with singing and this is an even bigger attraction for the group as they all love to sing, especially on the microphone.

At the end of the sing-a-long session Valli then starts, much to the delight of all, a "conga" line as he winds around the auditorium with as many consumers as want to join singing Feliz Navidad.

The consumers, the staff and those in charge at AHRC are so appreciative of all the State Bank of Long Island folks and others who make this event a "must" on their yearly Christmas list.