Town of North Hempstead Notebook: Volunteer and Rabies

The , which will be going on in parts of the town from June 1-5, is looking for volunteers. 

“Volunteers are going to be the key to ensuring a positive and successful Film Festival here in North Hempstead,” said in a statement. “In addition to galvanizing local and regional audiences on the storied Gold Coast, the Film Festival will support industry by injecting much needed dollars into the local economy. I urge everyone who is able to get involved.”

Volunteers will be needed to be office help, do work in the box office, be an usher, sell concessions, take part in food service and various other duties.

To find out more about volunteering, call 311 or email info@goldcoastfilmfestival.org.

Rabies Partnership

Supervisor Jon Kaiman, the North Hempstead Town Board and the Nassau County Department of Health have set up a free rabies vaccination clinic for cats and dogs.

This clinic, which is open to everyone and at the will be on May 7 from 10 a.m. to noon.

"It is more important than ever to immunize pets for their protection as well as for the safety of families and their loved-ones," Kaiman said in a statement.

Rabies, which is an acute viral disease of the nervous system, is transmitted by a rabid animal's bite, according to a Town press release, but the virus may also be transmitted when a rabid animal's saliva comes into contact with a cut or scratched skin lesions, the release noted.

To protect from exposure to rabies, the Nassau County Department of Health offers residents these tips in the Town's press release:

• Keep domestic animals (dogs, cats, ferrets) on a leash and keep livestock confined in the evenings.
• Advise your family against approaching any unknown animal—wild or domestic—especially those acting in an unusual way.
• Do not touch dying or dead animals.  If you must move them, use a shovel, wear heavy rubber gloves and double bag the carcass.
• Do not touch or have contact with any animal other than your own.
• Instruct your children to tell you immediately if they were bitten or scratched by any animal.
• Notify the Nassau County Department of Health immediately if a bat is found in a room where people were sleeping or if an adult enters a room and finds a bat with a child. Do not release the bat.
• Do not feed unknown animals and discourage them from seeking food near your home by keeping garbage cans tightly covered.  Avoid storing any food including pet food outside.
• Verify that your pets have current rabies vaccination, including dogs, cats, ferrets, livestock and horses.

Earth Day Programs

There will be several environmental initiatives including the comprehensive school recycling program, a composting cooperative and an environmental store around Earth Day.

These programs are coordinated by the Town’s Department of Community Services and its Outreach Team.

The programs, according to a Town press release, include community clean-ups, a mock Town board, recycling refresher lessons, a grocery bag design contest, an Earth Day poetry contest, a t-shirt design contest and a letter writing contest.