My Hometown

Bill Horan and Riya Panel learn about the Walt Whitman Birthplace in Huntington Station. The Whitman family roots on this part of Long Island date back to the early 17th century. Walt was born in 1819. There is so much more to this poetic story, so they speak with Caitlyn Shea, the Executive Director at the Walt Whitman Birthplace.

Bill Horan and Riya Pantel learn about The Massapequa Kiwanis.  Founded in September of 1949, their objective is to respond to the needs of the community. The club's primary emphasis is on the youth, with the willingness to support all facets of their community.  They speak with Leonard (Bud) Antonelli, the President, and Jim Taratunio, the Vice President.

Bill Horan and Riya Pantel learn about a Long Island-based business called Paper Doll Vintage Boutique. They opened its doors in 2012 in Sayville, but after a devastating fire forced its closure in 2024, they re-opened in a new location in Sayville.  They have a variety of styles, sizes, and price points, to work with everyone's style and budget.  They talk with Dominique Maciejka - the owner of Paper Doll Vintage Boutique.

Bill Horan and Riya Pantel talk with Kristen Stucchio-Suarez, the Project Director at RRDA, the official tourism and promotions agency for Nassau County, about some of the fun things happening in the county this fall and winter season.

Bill Horan and Riya Pantel learn about The North Shore Village Theater in Glen Cove, NY, where they bring education, entertainment, and enrichment for all ages through the performing arts as the only all-inclusive theatre company to the residents of the North Shore of Long Island - and beyond.  They speak with Christopher Moll, the Founder and Artistic Director.

Bill Horan and Riya Pantel learn about the Nassau BOCES Long Island High School for the Arts - where emerging artists get the opportunity to explore and refine their talents in a one-of-a-kind, master apprentice, arts-centered community in Syosset.  They speak with Lindsay Rogan, the Principal at the Long Island High School for the Arts.

Bill Horan and Riya Pantel talk with Morgan Taylor, Team President for the Long Island Nets (G-League Affiliate of the Brooklyn Nets), and VP of Business Operations for the New York Liberty (WNBA Team).  They learn how she rose to these positions, what it takes to run professional sports teams, and why internships are so important for career growth.

Bill Horan talks with Adrienne Esposito, the Executive Director of Citizens Campaign for the Environment, with their office located in Farmingdale.  Together, they learn about the little things everyone on Long Island can do to improve the environment.

Bill Horan and Riya Pantel talk once again with Leora Lanz, a Huntington resident, who is a full-time professor at Boston University. She is the former Global Director of Marketing and Communications for HVS, a hospitality consulting firm then located in Mineola, and the former Director of Public Relations and Advertising for the ITT Sheraton Hotels of New York, among other jobs.  She is the author of a new book called, Developing Your Marketing Mindset.  (Part 1 can be found earlier in our feed.)

Bill Horan learns about a music program for young girls that was created through something called The Flowerkids Foundation. The project was developed as part of a Girl Scouts Gold Award project, and it focuses on building confidence, creativity, and performance skills through music.  He speaks with 18-year-old Rebecca Comba, who created the project, along with her sister Allison Comba, the founder and owner of The Flowerkids Foundation, and Angelina Abbatiello, who was part of the project!