🌱 Riverhead Daily: Heart Health Raffle + At-Home Testing Kits

Good day, people of Riverhead! It's me again, Diane Witek, your host of the Riverhead Daily.

First, today's weather:

Morning snow, 4-8 inches; colder. High: 35, low: 25.

Here are the top stories today in Riverhead:

1. In celebration of the American Heart Month in February, the auxiliary at Peconic Bay Medical Center has launched a "Heart Health Raffle." Participants can win a prize every day for the 28 days of February, with one winner picked daily. Prizes range from $40 to $200 each day, and those who enter can win up to 28 times. Tickets cost $5 each or 6 for $25 and can be purchased at Peconic Bay Medical Center's gift shop or online by clicking here. For additional information call 631-548-6166. (Riverhead Patch)
2. This week in the Riverhead school district student and staff absences spiked as the omicron variant causes a massive surge in COVID-19 cases across Suffolk. The Riverhead school district has coronavirus test kits in every nurse's office in the district in case a staff member or student feels sick. The district has also been supplied over 5,000 at-home testing kits by the governor to distribute to students at a parent’s request. Parents can request a kit by filling out a Google form on the district’s website. (RiverheadLOCAL)
3. Thousands of at-home coronavirus test kits are set to be distributed throughout Suffolk County, Executive Steve Bellone announced on Thursday. Testing kits are due to be delivered to seniors, veterans, first responders, domestic violence shelters, faith-based organizations, and other vulnerable populations. The county partnered with local organizations and nonprofits including Island Harvest and Long Island Cares. Officials will package care bags, which will include an at-home test kit with two tests, KN95 masks, and hand sanitizer. The Health Department is continuing to distribute tens of thousands of tests to Suffolk school districts. (Patch)

Today's Riverhead Daily is brought to you in part by our friends at Verizon. They're building the fastest 5G network in the country. To learn how 5G is going to change life for you and your community — and to get access to this amazing technology — click here. And thank you Verizon for sponsoring this community resource in Riverhead!

Today in Riverhead:

• Pure Prairie League. (8 p.m.)

From my notebook:

• Suffolk County Sheriff's Office: "January is National Human Trafficking Prevention Month. If you have a tip about a potential trafficking situation, call the National Human Trafficking Resource Center at 1-888-373-7888. #EndTrafficking." (Facebook) (Website)
• Riverhead Books: "🤍✨Exquisite praise streaming in for 'White on White,' the story of a woman coming undone ✨🤍 'A true portrait of artists young and old. Intrigue mixed with delight turns into something closer to horror as the painter's life.'" (Instagram) (Website)
• Suffolk County Sheriff's Office: "Are you ready for a rewarding career in law enforcement? Register now for this exam by visiting the Suffolk County Civil Service website at https://www.suffolkcountyny.gov/Departments/Civil-Service. Register by Feb. 2, 2022 for the test." (Facebook) (Website)
• Spirit's Promise Equine Rescue Program: “Grief changes shape. Some days, grief feels like a backpack or a purse and that is when you can carry your grief with you. Other days grief feels like a roller luggage, because you can carry it with you but it’s cumbersome." (Facebook) (Website)
• Rotary Club of Riverhead: "First meeting of the new year and we were privileged to host Amy Loeb, executive director of Peconic Bay Medical Center. And in the same day, our Foundation Committee Chair, Connie Gevinski presented member Rajesh Patel with a Paul Harris Award. If interested in joining our club, please message us." (Facebook) (Website)

More from our sponsors — thanks for supporting local news!

Events:

• Bagels Lox Tefillin Men's Club. Located at Chabad of North Fork, 725 Bennetts Pond Lane, Mattituck. (Jan. 9)
• Sannino Vineyard Wine & Doughnut Pairing. Located at Sannino Vineyard, 15975 County Road 48, Cutchogue. (Jan. 9)
• FREE WEBINAR | “Michelangelo and the Terrible Pope” Presented by Dr. Rocky Ruggiero. Online event. (Jan. 11)
• Add your event.

Announcements:

• Behind The Scoreboard — Horses Can Guide The Blind. (Details)
• Add your announcement.

Gigs & services:

• Reiki Sessions now available (Home or Office). (Details)
• Add your gig or service.

Loving the Riverhead Daily? Here are all the ways you can get more involved:

• Send a friend or neighbor this link so they can subscribe
• Get your local business listed in front of readers
• Send me a news tip or suggestion at diane.witek@patch.com

That's it for today! I'll see you around.

— Diane Witek

About me: Impassioned Writer, Website Designer, Social Media Marketer and newly proclaimed Baker. Lover of nature and animals of all kinds.