Chaminade Emmaus Group Volunteers at Bird Sanctuary

About 20 Chaminade High School Emmaus students and their advisors outdid themselves last Saturday at the Garden City Bird Sanctuary as they helped with a clean-up and preparing the site for the upcoming migratory season.

Students in the Emmaus Apostolic program serve their church, their school and their communities through charitable acts. "We're happy to put our faith into action by beautifying one part of God's creations," Emmaus moderator, Brother Peter Heiskel, S.M. said. "We're grateful to the Garden City bird sanctuary for giving us the opportunity to do that. They are always hospitable."

Birds need to be able to have fresh water as well as a place to rest and food as they migrate so Emmaus program students spent the day weeding, cutting down branches and general clean-up at the sanctuary. They were also helping to get ready for two special events there next month: an October wedding ceremony at the top of the hill and the October 16 Halloween Fest.

"I've been coming to the Garden City bird sanctuary since 1998 (to volunteer)," assistant moderator and 2001 Chaminade graduate, John Kirrane said.

Kirrane and his students were preparing a garden in the area affectionately dubbed "The Three Bobs." The space consists of three sugar maples dedicated to three Garden City residents - Robert Catell, Robert McMillan and Robert Stark -who helped start the sanctuary in 1995. Brian Johnson of Levittown, Kevin Hardiman of Albertson, Brian Dougherty of Huntington and Melvin Bracamonte of Hempstead assisted.

Like Kirrane, other Chaminade students have worked at the Sanctuary before. "I've been here five or six times," Peter Sennert, a Chaminade senior from Levittown said as he assisted Sacred Heart student sanctuary director Caitlin Lenahan fix a mower. "The bird sanctuary is a beautiful place and we're working here to make it better. All the kids are having fun and it's a great day."

Founder and sanctuary director Robert Alvey said the Emmaus program "has helped at the Garden City bird sanctuary for many years. Brother Peter, Brother Patrick, Father James (Williams) and John Kirrane have worked miracles with the students. They fully earned the bird sanctuary's Environmental and Stewardship award for the support they put in."

Chris Berkery of East Williston, P.J. Barry of Manhasset, Matt Fox of Garden City, Mike Conroy of Port Washington and Ryan Bollosky of Floral Park were rebuilding the rock wall near the entrance, looking for lizards and snakes and removing mugwart.

Another team consisting of Mike McClatchey from Freeport, Zach Hiev from Franklin Square, Joseph Lo Re from Garden City, James Agolia from Massapequa Park and Ryan McDonough from Rockville Centre was preparing to put in a new bulletin board sign and prune shrubs. The third cleanup team was R.J. Amzler from Carle Place, Zachary Scharf from New Hyde Park, Jon Bona from Carle Place, Brendan Zareno from Lido Beach, Greg Arning from Garden City and Patrick Mink from Glen Head.