THEY WERE OPEN AND THEIR FOR THEIR CUSTOMERS THIS TIME LAST YEAR DURING HURRICANE SANDY! NOW ITS OUR TIME TO BE THERE FOR THEM!!!! PLEASE READ THIS AND VOTE! THANK YOU!! *Ninas Aims to Win Grant for Generator, Updates After Sandy One year ago, the Northport business became a haven for residents without power. Now, the pizzeria needs its customers’ help. The morning after Hurricane Sandy, Ninas Pizzeria owners Artie and Lynne Berke, like many Northport residents, found themselves at home without power. With it dark at home, the parents of two, decided to head to the Pizzeria to check on the equipment. The lights were out at the Pizzeria as well, but the gas stove was working, so the pair decided to make some pizza for their family’s lunch. One of Arties family members came over and loaned them a generator and before you knew it we where full with neighbors for coffee and pizza. Residents from all parts of the village gathered at the Pizzeria in the days and weeks to come. Some came to warm up, others to see their neighbors and share survival stories and to get something to eat while most residents were living without refrigerators, ovens or microwaves. The Pizzeria soon became a haven for those seeking a warm place to be to charge their electronics and get a bit to eat. Residents plugged in entire power strips to charge laptops, cell phones and other electronics in order to make it through the next week without power. “Families would sit at a table with board games. Most people gathered here just to talk their neighbors,” Lynne said. As the week wore on and no signs of power showed through, the Pizzeria began to run low on supplies. However the delivery trucks couldn’t get to the bakery due to downed trees blocking the roadway and broke traffic lights. In order to keep the business open for residents, Artie drove three hours each delivery day to pick up the items needed from the suppliers. After seeing how integral having power was to the Northport community during Sandy, the Berkes are now asking their customers to help them win a small business grant that will allow them to purchase a generator and update the Pizzeria equipment. “In times of disaster this (a generator) is key to our survival. During Irene we lost a lot. However the duration of the lack of power of Sandy was unnerving. Making ends meet would have been disastrous for us without power. Going forward a generator is essential to our business,” Artie said in her grant application for Mission Main Street Grants by chase Bank. A dozen winners will be chosen nationwide to receive a $250,000 grant. In addition to the generator, Artie said that she would replace the pizza’s ovens, get new display cases and help offset the cost of employee health insurance, which it provides to 43 employees. The Berkes also regularly donate their time and goods to local organizations including the VA hospital, Northport Food Pantry, St. Baldricks, Visiting Nurse Service, Hospice House-Family Service League, The Lions clubs and the to name a few. To help Ninas win, residents can log on to https://missionmainstreetgrants/business/detail/77178 and vote for Ninas Pizza.
Posted on: Thu, 31 Oct 2013 19:29:18 +0000
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