Every Thursday, people receiving day services in Farmingdale volunteer at the local library to help maintain the space by dusting, shelving, tidying the common areas and collecting stray books. On the week of April 19, Farmingdale Library’s Head of Reference, Stuart Schaeffer, planned a celebratory brunch for 11 volunteers.

On the day of the surprise celebration, Amanda Badke, Brandon Pastor, Matthew Fasano, Michelle Bontempo, Antoinetta Ruperto, Desmond Parson, James Parks, Richard Spizziri, Antoinette Bradley, Sandra Delvecchio, and Donna Goldman walked into the library’s community room  and were greeted by the staff’s smiling faces.

During the luncheon the volunteers were awarded certificates and a tote bag with gifts for the work they have been doing since mid-2022. Brian Slatky, a DSP supporting these volunteers, saw how excited everyone was to receive their certificate.

“They were all very happy and felt honored to be rewarded for their work,” said Brian.

Out of the 30 people supported with day services at Farmingdale, fifteen opted to volunteer at the library. They look forward to their trip there because it’s a peaceful place for everyone to do what they enjoy. When they arrive, four people break away from the group, head to the computer room, and settle to browse the internet.

Others like Michelle love going through magazines, as soon as she finishes her dusting and shelving tasks, she heads to the rack to browse the newest issues of People, Better Homes & Gardens, and Travel magazines.

Brian and fellow DSP Rita are always there to support them and even find creative ways to help them work on their goals. Like Antoinetta whose primary language is Italian, one of her goals is to inquire at the reference desk for books about Italy so she can learn more about her culture.

Aside from reading books and magazines, the volunteers love to play board games and use the computer. The library has 15 available computers and provides volunteers with an hour pass to browse when they are there.

They also have a free library section that the volunteers enjoy looking through. Although a few like Antoinette check out books, most prefer the library’s free exchange system where they can grab books that interest them without having to worry about due dates.

Trips to the library are just one way that Farmingdale explores their community. On past trips they have gone to animal shelters and hiking at Belmont Lake and Allen Park.