Islip Town Councilman Steve Flotteron and the Islip Arts Council recently joined with local community groups and service organizations to help decorate historic Brookwood Hall in East Islip - home to the Town of Islip Department of Parks, Recreation and Cultural Affairs’ offices and the Islip Art Museum - for the holiday season, at Deck the Halls, a special tree decorating event attended by nearly 300 people. Members of local charities, service organizations, nonprofits, churches and scouting groups gathered on the grounds of the former orphanage to decorate approximately 20 trees as part of a larger initiative to raise funds to renovate historic Brookwood Hall back to its original grandeur. Councilman Flotteron has been working with Islip Arts Council Executive Director Lynda Moran to establish a Brookwood Hall Restoration Committee, as well as the newly formed non-profit organization, Friends of Brookwood Hall, to begin a restoration effort aimed at getting the 1903 mansion into the National Register of Historic Places. The first in a series of planned fundraising events, Deck the Halls invited groups to make a suggested donation of $25 to purchase a Douglas fir tree for decorating, along with windows, mantles and stairways in inside of Brookwood Hall. Light refreshments, live musical entertainment and many of the greens used for adorning the facility were provided by the Islip Arts Council. “This festive event helped to showcase the beauty of one of Islip Town’s very special historic treasures,” said Councilman Flotteron. “The community support that we received was overwhelming, and I look forward to continuing the work to bring Brookwood Hall back to its original pristine character.” The next fundraising event is a cocktail reception on Thursday, December 11, at Brookwood Hall, located at 50 Irish Lane, in East Islip. To make a donation or to attend the reception, please call the Islip Arts Council office 224-5420 . Checks are made payable to the Islip Arts Council, with a note in the memo field: Brookwood Hall Restoration.
Posted on: Wed, 10 Dec 2014 15:09:37 +0000