By Ken Grimball

She’s someone to look up to. Goldie Steinberg could be described as a Giant by some. At only 109-years-old, she still stands at about four and a half feet tall. This gracious, smiling, lady danced before a Russian Czar and when she was a child and can speak five different languages!

Goldie Steinberg was born in Romania in October of 1900, a time of severe Jewish oppression.  Her parents decided to send her and her two sisters to America to escape the difficulties of the time. When they arrived in New York, they found lodging in Brooklyn. Years later, Cupid shot his arrow. She met and married her husband, John Steinberg, a Romanian Jeweler, in the 1930’s.  They had two children.  Her daughter, who is 75-years- old now, lives in Hewlett, and her son lives in Virginia. He is an actual “Rocket Scientist.” There are seven grandchildren and at least one great grand child. Goldie Steinberg reached this ripe old age by following some simple tenets:  She believes in health, prosperity, and pleasure from her children.  And–she never raises her voice.

What a wonderful thing it would be if many of us added some of those tenets in our lives. Pitfalls would be avoided and lives would be touched for generations to come…as in the life of 109 year old Goldie Steinberg.

By Ken Grimball

Fritz Coudert died in December of 2008. I met Mr. Coudert about ten years ago. He lived in Cove Neck in a magnificent home overlooking Oyster Bay. Fritz could have lived on the beautiful, secluded property without the public ever knowing about him or seeing him, but that was not what he wanted.

Mr. Coudert cared about children and their future. Among his many titles, he was the Chairman of Board of the Kips Bay Boys and Girls Club in the Bronx, many miles away. For more than twenty years he would have as many as 400 children come to his property for Fritz Day. The invited children grew up on the crowded streets of the Bronx with the sound of fire engines and elevated subway cars rumbling through.

A day on the Courdert property was filled with pure fun. The children would arrive before lunch. They would assemble near the entrance to the property for an opening Pledge of Allegiance and the sound of a small cannon blasting through the morning air. There would be pony rides, games, and even a swim in the kidney shaped pool on a deck just outside the home. The normally subdued air would echo with sounds of laughter and excitement.

There was also that delicious boxed lunch, some face painting, and fun until the day ended. For the children it was a chance to see life in another dimension.

For Fritz Coudert, it was a chance to show the children that someone cared for them, as well as giving the youngsters a preview of what they could have when they finish college and become professionals.

In 2000 the Cove Neck Philanthropist founded the Water Front Center. It was created to teach young people–and adults–about the animals that lived in Oyster Bay.

I will really miss talking with Mr. Coudert for our reports each year. I will always admire his zeal and tenacity……..because he cared.

By Ken Grimball

I had the pleasure of meeting the very talented Dr. Lewis Jassey this week. Dr. Jassey is a Pediatrician, specializing in children with Autism. His practice is in Bellmore, where he grew up and in later years met his wife, Orna. They have two daughters and live in Dix Hills.

My first sentence mentions the Doctor’s talent. He and his two brothers grew up during the 1980’s. They music of that era influenced him. He and one of his brother’s were inspired by their favorite Doctor, their father,the late Family Practitioner, Dr. Marvin Jassey. He passed away in 1996 from ALS . One brother can’t stand being around blood, so he went into another profession. Dr. Lewis Jassey is also known as “Doc J. the wrapper.” He slips off his white medical jacket and puts on a black scrub top and goes to work on the rap lyrics of his song ” Hey Dad.” The songs tells the story of a young man who grew up with deep admiration for his father. He goes on to say that many happy years were spent with him, but he was taken away too early after suffering with the debilitating disease. One line in the rap mentions how this marvelous man became unable to hold his own spoon to feed himself. ALS affects brain cells.

The part of this story that I like best is that despite his many accomplishments, he took time out to pay homage to a dad who loved his sons. Many children take their parents for granted. They expect them to give and just keep giving. It’s nice to see some of them do give back, as in Doc J’s case.

Doc J will perform his rap on September 12, at the “Biggest National ALS Walk” of the year, at Eisenhower Park. Doc J is also working on a rap for children with Autism. We can’t leave that out.  He encourages people to look at his website docjmusic.com

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By Ken Grimball

It’s not polite to spit in public. That means absolutely NOTHING to 12-year-old Taylor Ann Haiduk. The Bellmore super star spits and everyone cheers! On July 4th, while on a trip with friends to Six Flaggs Great Adventure, Taylor decided to enter a contest for kids. You guessed it, it has to do with spitting. She spat a watermelon seed 26 and a half feet, without any rehearsal. Taylor just leaned back, took a deep breath, and let it go! She was the winner.

The contest was sponsored by Wumblers and the National Watermelon Association. Wumbers gave Taylor a small stuffed toy of a seed (when peeled open, it reveals an animal-like creature being born out of a seed).

Taylor is not afraid of being in public. When she was two she was in Central Park with her mother. A photographer took her picture and it wound up in the New York Daily News. At age six, Taylor was a guest on the Kate and Ali morning show on CBS. They invited her back to model swim suits. Taylor loves music. She sings in her school chorus. In the future her goal is to attend Frank Sinatra High School in Queens. With her courage she could have a very successful future.

The little girl from Bellmore comes from a wonderful family, with a grandmother, who looks like Joan Rivers (before her surgeries), and a Mom who loves her three daughters.

This is about a little girl who is often in the right place at the right time. Let’s hope that her spitting in public will slide her into a life of success.

By Ken Grimball

A South Bellmore single mother of five grown children is getting help from people in her church and community.  For the past six years Lisa Olsen has been attending the Neighborhood Assembly of God Church in Bellmore with her children.  The Olsens appear to be a loving close family.

Last October, Lisa was going about her normal duties at work as a Teachers Aide helping with children with various disabilities.  Lisa was walking toward a group of children when she was suddenly hit in the eye with a football.  The force damaged her left eye severely.  Months later, the tall, slender, 46 year-old is wearing a patch over her and having difficulty thinking and trying to form speech patterns.

For the past few years, under the direction of their Pastor,  Alan Stein, some members of the church have gone to do what they call Mission Trips. They help rebuild homes of needy families in Mexico and Tennessee.  The trips were quite costly.  This year they decided to stay home and help rebuild the Olsen family’s home.

The work began on June 29th.  This weekend the house is expected to be completed.  They completely gutted the building, tearing out walls,  digging up trees and tearing down fences, and painting and replacing windows and doors.  More than 70 people from the church of only two hundred members, as well as a large outpouring from the community, collected as much as $75,000 dollars in repairs and contributions.

Nearby residents stopped by to ask if anything was needed.  If so, they would return within minutes with abundant supplies.    Bagels, ice, and cold drinks were supplied each day by the community as the work continued.

Lisa Olsen and her family were noticably moved by the outreach from everyone involved. I was so pleased to see that many Long Island residents and businesses are interested in helping others. Upon completion of the modest three bedroom home, it will be an asset to the South Bellmore community… a true blessing.