Applause greeted Mary DiSario, who has just completed her third successful year with Teens for a Better Oyster Bay, the BOB program. Ms. DiSario ended the year with a raffle for the over 100 volunteers, twice as many as last year, who were given tickets each evening they volunteered at BOB.

The drawing took place at the Rotary weekly meeting on Sept. 23 at the Homestead restaurant.

"The program couldn't have happened without the Rotary insurance, the Rotary volunteers, the Nassau County Police and their pro-active POP unit," said Ms. DiSario.

"Our summer program was enhanced with $5,000 from Nassau County. It was used for special events, which are very costly, averaging over $400, and including insurance. There was a Gladiator Joust, (something like the American Gladiators), a Bunge Run, the Bungee Bull and more," she said.

While the special events were great, there was often a problem in running them: they need a generator to run all the electrical equipment.

"We've had chronic problems with lighting, although Supervisor Venditto tried this year to solve them. So, the Oyster Bay Fire Company brought down their light truck to help us. Which brings out something I want to emphasize - how the efforts of each person or group - together, make it all work," she said.

She gave special thanks to Rotarian Pierre Marchais. "This is the third year he has been a volunteer. He's been there every night, and he brought friends too," she said.

Ms. DiSario also thanked Rotarians Cliff McLean, Peter Clement and Councilwoman Christine Preston and her husband, who had also been

there as volunteers. "This tells a lot," she said. "Our volunteer group tops 100 people committed to supervising our teens. From young adults to senior citizens. It's mind boggling and humbling," she said.

This year, to thank them, instead of having a volunteer party, they decided on a raffle. Each time a volunteer attended, they received a raffle ticket.

"We purchased gift certificates for the volunteers. It was our way to give back to those members of the community who gave to the program, as well as giving back to the local restaurants who were so generous in giving food to the program."

She introduced John Commons, chosen from a great many applicants to be the on-site coordinator. He is a community member, a local businessman (John Commons of Commons Financial Inc., located at 1057 Jericho Road, East Norwich, in the Downing Agency building) and a member of the East Norwich Volunteer Fire Department. His children are younger than those in the program. She said he has a vested interest in keeping the program going, so that when his kids come of age, they can take part in it.

She introduced POP Police Officer Kurt Maler and Police Officer Janice Boyd. "Kurt and I go back to 1994 when we were addressing problems in The Trails. We knew then it was because the kids had no where else to go."

Although the BOB program is only a summer program, it filled a need for the young people, she said.

There were problems, but they were addressed appropriately. "The word was sent out that we had zero tolerance to drugs and alcohol."

Last year, she said, the program had about 2,250 to 2,500 kids. This year there were about 2,000. The explanation, she said, was the message that there was no tolerance. "Any youth knew very quickly that they had to go elsewhere if they wanted to 'party.'I would rather have a small number of children who would play by the rules. I don't see it as a comment on the program. The youth were well behaved and had a good time," she said.

John Commons said, "It's my third year with the program - although it is my first as the site-coordinator. I don't know how Mary does it." He added his thank you to Rotary and to every member of the community who pitched in even a little bit. Even people who came down for only one night. "We couldn't have survived without them!"

P.O. Kurt Maler said, "When we first got started, there were nay-sayers. There was a problem getting volunteers. It was the same faces. It was a one-shot deal. But people kept coming back, most of the credit goes to Mary."

He said, rather than push the panic buttons, she did the job. They were constantly on the phone, paging each other to keep in contact and to keep on top of things.

"The problems came from outside the community. We diffused them." When the program began, kids from other areas came ready to "party" and the police gave them appearance tickets.

Rotarian Cliff McLean asked Mary DiSario to mention the vendors who provided the snack food for the young people. "Every week, the food showed up," he said.

"It's hard to mention: 95 percent of the people who were asked - gave. Every pizza parlor, deli and bagel place gave. Everyone was only asked for a one time donation throughout the summer," said Mary DiSario.

"I will be publishing a list to thank all the vendors. They will get a certificate and we will ask them to put it up in their establishment." (That list of names appears in this issue of the Oyster Bay Enterprise Pilot, please see the Letters to the Editor's page.)

Cliff McLean mentioned that the Town of Oyster Bay also provided two youth workers. "One, Tricia, is a veteran of the program," said Mary. "They are college-age youngster, who help us on-site. As I said, not one of these pieces could be missing, and leave the program whole," she said.

Of the 2,000 students who attended BOB, the average night had from 90 to 100 kids to sometimes 180. When the program began, there were 250 teens. That was an amazing night," she said. "That night was when the message hadn't yet gotten out that there was to be no drugs or alcohol.

"It was the biggest puddle of beer I've ever seen in my life," she said. The police poured beer into the parking lot pavement.

"Those kids quickly got the message."

John Commons said "Zero tolerance is the way to go."

Mary said the kids understood the need to have things run smoothly. A number of them cherished the program and tried to steer us to what needed to be done, if they saw a problem developing. They could see if there might be a fight in the making.

Officer Boyd explained the impact of the appearance tickets that were given. They were violations of Town of Oyster Bay ordinances; the open container law or underage possession of alcohol. With an appearance ticket, the kids have to go to District Court in Hicksville and be there with a parent. If they ignore it, it goes to first District Court. The appearance ticket doesn't go away, it has to be answered. The standard price of a beer ticket is $50 and the person's name goes into the computer until it is answered, and can go up to $250.

"Tell a 16-or 19-year-old they have to pay a $50 to $250 fine and it has an effect," said Officer Boyd.

"For the first few years, we didn't give them appearance tickets, but this year, Mary and John said, 'Go get them - just twice and it was over." The message was received.

An appearance ticket doesn't give you something on the record. It hits the person in the wallet - and it's gone - as long as you take care of it.

Officer Maler said people come back and thank them for letting them know what their children have been doing as a result of receiving notice of an appearance ticket.

Mary DiSario drew the raffle ticket winners:

Jane DiPaola won a $50 certificate to Al Dente.

She is a member of the BOB Committee. Kathy Nihill, in her third year with BOB received a $50 certificate to the Homestead. Judy Reinhardt received a $50 certificate to Laura's. She is another longtime member of BOB.

Peggy Golden won a $50 certificate to Huckleberry's.

With four more to go: Pierre Marchais was the winner - to cheers and applause - for a $25 certificate for a lunch at the Book Mark Cafe.

The next raffle ticket was won by Christine Preston. It's a $25 gift certificate for A Taste of Mexico.

Greg Brown active in PAL and a member of the volunteer group for BOB for a long time, won a $25 gift certificate to Taby's.

Christine Preston pulled the next winner. It was Anna Milione, for a $25 gift certificate for The Clam Bar on Pine Hollow Road.

The next winner was Pierre Marchais, again. "Pick up three movie rentals at the Video Connection in Oyster Bay," said Mary.