Oyster Bay Town Supervisor John Venditto is pleased to announce the winners of the eighth annual Town of Oyster Bay "Women of Distinction" Awards, recognizing the outstanding achievements of women who either live or work in the town.

"A distinguished awards committee, once again, had the difficult task of selecting exceptional designees as the 'Women of Distinction' in one of eight categories," Venditto said. "We will honor this year's winners at the Tuesday, March 28, meeting of the town board."

Winners will be presented with a town citation and a special pin to commemorate the event.

"The 'Women of Distinction' Program has certainly proven to be a memorable tradition, honoring women who stand as role models for the younger generation in the Town of Oyster Bay," Venditto stated. "These women are a shining example of the outstanding citizenship that has made the Town of Oyster Bay such a special place to live and raise a family. I, together with my town board colleagues, are honored to recognize them."

This year's honorees are:

Ava Favara: As principal of the BOCES Cultural Arts Center in Syosset, Ava Favara has been a guiding influence to aspiring young artists in a variety of disciplines, ranging from theater and dance to the fine arts and creative writing. Also immediate past president of the Town of Oyster Bay Arts Council, Favara presents an eclectic range of participation and skill sets that benefit and enrich town residents.

She is described as a leader in the artistic community. Favara exhibits dedication and enthusiasm for many projects. Under her leadership, students put on a professional performance. Throughout the years she has focused on providing the best atmosphere, wonderful teachers and opportunities for creative expression. Favara is caring, compassionate and dedicated not only to students, but also to staff. She is an educator, a volunteer, a mentor and friend to artists at all levels and phases of their careers. Her entire life encompasses the arts.

Beth Dalton-Costello: Beth Dalton-Costello is co-owner of the Thomas Dalton Funeral Home chain, which has locations throughout Long Island. Throughout the years as a business owner in areas such as Hicksville and neighboring Levittown, Dalton became very involved in numerous organizations in those communities. She is active in Nassau Community College's Mortuary Science Advisory Board, the Island Trees High School Advisory Board and is a former member of the Yours, Ours, Mine Community Center.

Dalton is vice president of Friends of the Bay and has received the Small Businessperson of the Year Award in Hicksville and Levittown. In her hometown of Hicksville, Dalton has been active for many years in organizations such as the Hicksville Community Council, where she was honored with the Presidents Award; is a member of the Hicksville Kiwanis Club and led the steering committee of the Hicksville Interfaith Nutrition Network.

Valerie Pakaluk: Valerie Pakaluk has quite a record of community service. She served as a highly efficient managing editor for the Litmor Publishing Corporation, during which time she supported numerous local organizations and their ongoing programs. She was instrumental in organizing and serving as the founding president of the Hicksville Historical Society. She was a trustee of the Hicksville Gregory Museum, where she also served as an officer. Pakaluk was a member of the Hicksville Community Council, where she served as a vice president for many years, and of which she is currently president. She has been affiliated with the Charles Wagner Post 421 of the American Legion and St. Ignatius Church.

As busy as she was with her Community Council leadership and all other endeavors, she took on a trustee position on the Hicksville Library Board following the death of another local civic leader. Pakaluk brings intelligence, organization, cordiality and courage to her many leadership roles. Her interest in the significant history of her hometown community led her to help local historian Richard Evers with the creation of a pictorial history book of Hicksville. Pakaluk's unwavering dedication to her community continues to shine every day.

Jo Ann Miltenberg: Jo Ann Miltenberg is a distinguished math instructor who has been teaching for nearly 30 years, about half of which she has taught in the Farmingdale School District. The U.S. Department of Education recently honored her as New York's recipient of the American Star of Teaching Award, which is presented to only one teacher from each state in the country. Miltenberg was selected over thousands of entries to be honored for her classroom creativity. She was one of the first teachers in the entire region to receive training on the scientific calculators that are now used in nearly every high school math classroom, and she, in turn, trained her peers as a Technology for All Students instructor.

Farmingdale's Superintendent of Schools has said that Miltenberg sees teaching as a calling, not as a job. Jo Ann's students and colleagues agree. She devotes time outside the classroom to her students in Farmingdale and also assists many in her hometown of Hicksville. Miltenberg is a gifted, caring and dedicated individual with a superb mathematical background and extraordinary teaching skills that reach every child in her classroom.

Peggy Donovan: Peggy Donovan was a district representative in Congressman Peter T. King's office for more than a decade. During her time there, she assisted residents with possibly every problem imaginable. She helped residents who called the office find information dealing with various federal agencies and issues, including veteran services, IRS, INS, Social Security and disability. Donovan was always able to lead residents in the right direction and help them in getting the assistance they needed. She also represented the congressman at various events, traveling throughout the district to show support to residents and honoring their achievements.

She worked for Donovan's Armed Guards, a private investigation security business and was always very active in the Ladies Ancient Order of Hibernians, whose motto of "Friendship, Unity and Christian Charity" she took to heart. With that group, Donovan helped countless people through charity activities including clothing drives and raising money for worthy causes.

Donna Appell, RN: Donna Appell worked for more than two decades as a registered nurse at the Open Heart Intensive Care Unit at St. Francis Hospital, where she helped countless patients and their families. She continues today to help countless numbers of people through her work with the HPS Network she founded to raise awareness and provides support for anybody dealing with the Hermansky-Pudlak Syndrome, a genetic metabolic disorder which causes albinism, visual impairment, a platelet dysfunction and progressive symptoms.

Appell unfortunately is all too familiar with the disease as her daughter has been inflicted with HPS her entire life. Her drive to help improve her daughter's health and quality of life inspired her to start this organization. She now raises funds, runs conferences for affected families, and lobbies elected officials and the medical community for both funding and research for a cure. Appell is also one of the founding members of Project DOCC (Delivery of Chronic Care), a parent-driven, pediatric residency training program that helps give new doctors a better understanding of what it is like to live with a child with a chronic illness. Donna has certainly dedicated much to the health community with her tireless devotion and selfless dedication.

Arlene Piccone, Carolyn Bautista and Diane Nodell: These three women took care of a lonely elderly gentleman every day, even eventually trying to place him into an assisted living facility, when it seemed no one else cared. Piccone, Bautista and Nodell employed at CJ's Family Grill in Massapequa, kept track of a lonely white-haired man's meals day after day, keeping in mind he was a severe diabetic. They knew all of his routines, his likes and his dislikes. They were like his family, which was not an easy thing because this was not a pleasant man. He was rude to all except those girls he considered "family."

No one else would be tolerated. Some days Nodell even drove him home from the diner. When he didn't show up for a few days, they would check on him. He nearly collapsed one day, and they took him to the hospital. Diane visited him and became the contact for the hospital. When he died, they called Nodell. These three women gave a lonely old man the one thing he needed more than anything else in the world - a feeling of family; a sense of belonging.

Lorraine Kaplan: Lorraine Kaplan dedicates her time to promoting mental illness education in local schools. She is the director of educational outreach for a National Alliance on Mental Illness project called "Breaking the Silence; Teaching the Next Generation about Mental Illness." Her goal is to see the existence of classrooms where people discuss depression, schizophrenia and other brain disorders with as much ease as they do AIDS, cancer, diabetes and other important health topics.

Kaplan's son, who was in advanced classes, on the debate and wrestling teams, first trombonist in the orchestra and jazz band, and a Regents Scholarship recipient, was diagnosed with schizophrenia as a high school senior. She was advised to keep it a secret for years because of the stigma of mental illness. She told no one for years. That all changed when she met other mothers suffering with the same heartache who were also cautioned to remain silent. That's when Kaplan broke the silence. She has taken the past 10 years to promoting mental illness education in schools. Thanks to her dedication, students in classrooms on Long Island and across the country are learning about these illnesses. Lorraine's courage has turned a devastating experience into an educational crusade.

"These fine honorees have dedicated themselves to service and achievement, and their remarkable accomplishments are an inspiration to us all," Venditto said. "Young women throughout the town do not need to look to Hollywood actresses or pop stars for their role models, they can look right here in the Town of Oyster Bay. I invite everybody to join us on March 28, beginning at 7 p.m., as we honor this year's fine designees of the town's 'Women of Distinction' Award. This event has always been one of the most special evenings we enjoy here in the Town of Oyster Bay."