Pictured (left to right): Ken Donin; Joseph Scannell, Laura Curran, Dave Denenberg, Jonathan Abrams, Steven Rossetti, Lisa Daniels and Kevan Abrahams.
In support of the local community, Gershow Recycling recently sponsored and participated in the 30th annual National Night Out event on August 6 at Cow Meadow Park in Freeport. Those who came by Gershow’s table learned how to recycle their unwanted scrap metal. They also received literature on the company, recyclable shopping bags, hats and magnetic key chains.
National Night Out is a unique crime and drug prevention event sponsored by the National Association of Town Watch. It is designed to heighten crime and drug prevention awareness; generate support for and participation in local anti-crime programs; strengthen neighborhood spirit and police/community partnerships; and send a message to the criminals, letting them know that neighborhoods are organized and fighting back.
For the ninth year in a row, Gershow Recycling has provided scholarships to graduating seniors from the Brookhaven area. This year’s recipients were Kelsey Carter of Bellport High School, Tyler Carfora of Longwood High School and Shannon Fisher of Patchogue-Medford High School.
This year, Gershow decided to expand the program to local high schools located near their facilities. Scholarship recipients who have benefited from the expanded program so far include Marisa Christie of Bay Shore High School, Julianne Bozzo of Lindenhurst High School, Juliann Marie Schneider of Walt Whitman High School, Litao Zhao of Herricks High School and Gurkirat Singh of Valley Stream Central High School.
As a leading environmental recycling company, Gershow awards the competitive scholarship to graduating seniors pursuing a degree in either environmental science or engineering.
Tanya Pottinger and Kelsey Carter.Tyler Carfora and Tanya Pottinger.Shannon Fisher and Tanya Pottinger.Jason Baron, Gurkirat Singh and Peter O’Donovan.DJ Chasse, Julianne Bozzo and Charlie Cobb.John Conroy and Litao Zhao.Jonathan Abrams and Marisa Christie.Juliann Marie Schneider and Rich D’Angelo.
Pictured (back row, left to right): Tom Ferb, Brian Becker, and Paul Felice. Pictured (middle row, l-r): Marvin Matios, Lou Giordano, Charlie Baker, Jonathan Abrams (holding check), Peter Feehan, Vito LaMonica (holding check), Chris Bergman, Dan King, Hal Kramer, Sammy Stahlman, and Alex Bergman. Kneeling (l-r): Zeyad El-Gawish, Alyssa Bergman, Leann Isabelle, Amanda Droll, Caroline Isabella, Sandi Rubi and Jesus Cruz.
The Patchogue Lions Club held its thirteenth annual “Christmas in June” event on June 20 at Boomer’s Family Fun Center in Medford. For the eighth consecutive year, as part of its ongoing community service, Gershow Recycling sponsored the event by donating $2,500.
Approximately 140 school children from seven elementary schools in the Patchogue-Medford School District were chosen to participate in this year’s event by their respective principals. Since the Patchogue Lions Club has started “Christmas in June,” more than 1,500 children have participated in this fun-filled event.
“This was a nice way to give these children an opportunity to have some fun and spend the day with their friends,” said Event Chairman Vito LaMonica, who is also Past President of the Patchogue Lions Club. “It gave the children a place to enjoy themselves, especially with the school year drawing to a close.”
Children were treated to lunch and then given full access for several hours to attractions, including rides, go-carts, wall climbing, bumper boats, and arcade games. They also received baseball caps, courtesy of Gershow.
We were very happy in joining with the Patchogue Lions Club to make this day possible for these children,” said Gershow Manager Jonathan Abrams. “They always have a great time here. With the summer season beginning, the timing couldn’t be better.”
Gershow Matches $673 Raised by Students in Fight against Childhood Cancer
Company Was Inspired by Students’ Dedication and Efforts and Growing Participation in Program
Pictured (left to right): Maria Marks, Cara J. Giannillo, Debra Giugliano, Dr. Robert Parker, Jonathan Abrams, Dan Panico; and Bill Doyle.
Gershow Recycling announced it has pledged to match the $673 raised by students at William Floyd School District’s elementary schools, Kreamer Street Elementary School in Bellport, Holy Angels Regional School in Patchogue and Our Lady of Mercy Regional School in Cutchogue as part of “Can Tabs for Kids,” a program designed to raise funds for the fight against childhood cancer. The money will go to benefit the Sunrise Fund at Stony Brook University Medical Center, an organization that raises awareness and funds for specific projects to assist families. Gershow Manager Jonathan Abrams presented the check during a special assembly at William Floyd Elementary School that took place on June 6.
As part of the Can Tabs for Kids program, students brought in aluminum tabs from soft drink and pet food cans that their parents purchased and placed them in collection bins located in their classrooms. Each week, the bags were taken out of the bins and brought to Gershow, where the contents were weighed and recycled. Gershow received approximately 2 million tabs from the students, weighing a total of 1,234 pounds and worth $673.
The idea for the program was inspired by Maria Marks, a William Floyd Elementary School student who was diagnosed with cancer at a young age. Between the ages of two weeks and six months, she underwent numerous chemotherapy sessions. The constant exposure to the radiation resulted in Maria losing her hearing in both ears and now she must wear hearing aids. Her cancer has since been in remission.
The program has since expanded, with participating schools including Kreamer Street Elementary School in Bellport, John S. Hobart Elementary School, Nathaniel Woodhull Elementary School, Holy Angels Regional School in Patchogue, and Our Lady of Mercy School in Cutchogue, as well as St. Jude Parish Outreach in Mastic Beach. It has also been brought to the Towns of Brookhaven, Smithtown and Islip.
The Sunrise Fund was established to raise awareness about childhood cancer and the special needs of such children throughout local communities. The money used by The Sunrise Fund sustains cutting-edge research and family programs such as support groups, a School Re-Entry Program and many others. Since the establishment of this program, more than $4,500 has been raised.
According to the American Childhood Cancer Organization, approximately 13,000 children in the United States under the age of 21 are diagnosed with cancer, and one in four die as a result of the disease.
“Gershow Recycling is proud to have been part of Can Tabs for Kids,” Mr. Abrams said. “The children surpassed all expectations in their participation in this wonderful program and providing support to their fellow classmate. We are also glad to have seen this program expand throughout the William Floyd School District, the Towns of Brookhaven, Smithtown and Islip and other schools as well.”
“We would like to thank Gershow Recycling for their generous support,” said Keith Fasciana, principal of William Floyd Elementary School. “I am also very proud of Maria Marks, the students who participated in this program and their families, for all their hard work and dedication in collecting over 2 million can tabs.”
With Memorial Day weekend a few days away, many people are replacing their old barbecue gas grills with new ones. Many parts of the grill can be recycled, including the gas tanks, but there are many safety factors to consider. Gershow Recycling says people must show great care in properly disposing of used propane gas tanks and other parts of the grill when bringing them in to be recycled.
With the health risks associated with the handling of propane tanks, states are cracking down on the illegal disposal of propane tanks. As a result, many people are turning to scrap metal recyclers to properly dispose of the barbecue grills.
When disposing of a barbecue gas grill, observe the following rules:
Dispose of the propane tanks first. The tanks must be “discharged,” or emptied, before they can be disposed of. Do not empty the tank by letting the gas escape through the valve; it is dangerous and bad for the environment. Many propane and BBQ grill retailers accept old tanks.
Never store propane tanks inside a building. It is not only dangerous, it is also illegal.
Once the tank has been disposed of, the rest of the grill can be recycled. Clean off any grease from the plastic and metal parts before recycling, as grease — like propane — can be flammable.
Burn off the rest of the charcoal bricks in the grill. This can be done by simply leaving the grill alight until all of the bricks are gone. When disposing of the coals, wait until they have cooled down. Close the cover to avoid exposure to the heat, which would lead to burns. You can let them cool overnight or, for a quicker solution, pour sand over them. When the risk of fire has passed, dispose of properly in a non-combustible container.
If you must dispose of the ashes before they are completely cold, place the ashes in heavy-duty aluminum foil and completely soak with cold water before placing them in a non-combustible container. Placing them in any other receptacle may cause a fire, especially if the receptacle contains flammable or combustible material.
“It is important that the gas tanks that are brought to Gershow Recycling are fully emptied,” said Elliot Gershowitz, vice president of Gershow Recycling. “The contents are under pressure and, if they are not properly discharged, can result in a fire, serious injury or death. We accept propane gas grills, but we ask that people properly discharge the tanks before bringing them to be recycled.”
Recycling Program Expands into Other School Districts,
Helping in the Fight against Childhood Cancer
Joining some of the students from Kreamer Street Elementary School are (left to right) Jonathan Abrams, Cara Giannillo, Sean Clark and Peter and Nancy Marks.
In this season of giving, there is no better way for young children to get into the holiday spirit than doing what they can in the fight against childhood cancer. Gershow Recycling joined with school officials, elected officials, staff members from the Stony Brook Medical Center and students to kick off the growing “Can Tabs for Kids” program at Kreamer Street Elementary School in Bellport on December 14. This program benefits the Sunrise Fund at Stony Brook University Medical Center, an organization that raises awareness for specific projects to assist families with children fighting childhood cancer.
Can Tabs for Kids began at William Floyd Elementary School on February 4. Maria Marks, a William Floyd student who was diagnosed with cancer at a young age, was the inspiration for the program. Between the ages of two weeks and six months, she underwent numerous chemotherapy sessions. The constant exposure to the radiation resulted in Maria losing her hearing in both ears and now she must wear hearing aids. Her cancer has since been in remission.
Since the program began, it has expanded to other school districts, including the Half Hollow Hills School District, Patchogue-Medford Schools and the William Floyd School District, as well as two parochial schools: Holy Angels Regional School in Patchogue and Our Lady of Mercy in Cutchogue. To date, more than one million aluminum tabs have been collected.
This year alone, an estimated 10,700 children under the age of 15 will be diagnosed with cancer this year alone, according to the American Cancer Society. It is estimated that 1,340 children will die from the disease. The ACS further states that the five-year survival rate for these children is 80%.
Gershow Recycling Manager Jonathan Abrams spoke to students about the company’s involvement with Can Tabs for Kids, how the program works and how it has expanded into other schools. He also thanked the students for their participation in this wonderful program.
Fox News Channel reporter Julie Banderas (left) interviews Gershow Recycling’s Owner, Sam Gershowitz (right), for Fox News’ “On The Job Hunt” segment on November 4.
Friday, November 4, 2011: FOX News Channel came to Gershow Recycling’s facility in Medford for its “On The Job Hunt” segment.
FOX News Channel interviewed Gershow Recycling’s founder, Sam Gershowitz, and president, Kevin Gershowitz, on how the company was able to expand during bad economic times.
Pictured: Charles Keeling (front row, right, holding banner), Safety Director, Gershow Recycling, poses with members of the newly formed Urban Search And Rescue team at the conclusion of the two-day Urban Search and Rescue drill.
In support of firefighters and emergency service personnel, Gershow Recycling opened its Medford facility to 60-65 technical specialists, firefighters, emergency medical technicians and police officers for its Urban Search And Rescue (USAR) training exercise, which was held November 6-7.
The two-day drill was performed by members of the newly formed Urban Search and Rescue Team, Suffolk County Task Force One. The team is comprised of emergency personnel from the Suffolk County volunteer fire departments, Suffolk County Fire Rescue and Emergency Services and the Suffolk County Police Department and Emergency Medical Services personnel. The team is designed to assist local fire departments with specialized equipment and skills.
At the Gershow site, task force members participated in various scenarios involving the location, rescue and initial medical stabilization of “victims” trapped inside vehicles and underneath collapsed structures. Charles Keeling, Safety Director, Gershow Recycling, assisted in planning various scenarios throughout the scrap yard with the task force members.
Urban Search And Rescue is considered a “multi-hazard” discipline, as it may be needed for a variety of emergencies or disasters, including earthquakes, hurricanes, typhoons, storms, tornadoes, floods, dam failures, technological accidents, terrorist activities and the release of hazardous materials.
Dr. Michio Kaku (center), host of Science Channel’s “Sci-Fi Science: Physics of the Impossible,” is joined by Charles Keeling (left), Safety Director, and Jonathan Abrams (right), Manager, Gershow Recycling.
Gershow Recycling was featured on the Science Channel’s Sci-Fi Science: Physics of the Impossible – November 10, 2010
On July 28, Science Channel visited Gershow Recycling’s Medford facility for a taping of an episode of “Sci-Fi Science: Physics of the Impossible,” hosted by Dr. Michio Kaku. The episode focuses on the current and future uses of hydraulics of the machinery used at Gershow’s facility.
This is the Science Channel’s second visit to Gershow. Science Channel came to Gershow in July 2009 to focus on the current future uses of magnets at Gershow’s facility.
“Sci-Fi Science: Physics of the Impossible” aired on November 10th.
Dr. Michio Kaku is filmed next to one of the cranes at Gershow’s Medford facility for an episode of “Sci-Fi Science: Physics of the Impossible.”
Pictured: Dr. Michio Kaku (left), host of Science Channel’s “Sci-Fi Science: Physics of the Impossible,” and Ray Colon (right), Manager, Gershow Recycling.
On July 8, Science Channel visited Gershow Recycling’s Medford facility for a taping of an episode of “Sci-Fi Science: Physics of the Impossible,” hosted by Dr. Michio Kaku. The segment focused on the current and future uses of super magnets used at Gershow’s facility. The program aired on February 9, 2010.
Cameras roll as “Sci-Fi Science: Physics of the Impossible” host Dr. Michio Kaku prepares to get into a crane at Gershow Recycling’s Medford facility to operate one of the super magnets.
With Memorial Day weekend a few days away, many people are replacing their old barbecue gas grills with new ones. Many parts of the grill can be recycled, including the gas tanks, but there are many safety factors to consider. Gershow Recycling says people must show great care in properly disposing of used propane gas tanks and other parts of the grill when bringing them in to be recycled.
