🌱 Patch AM: How one Smithtown senior turned a clothing drive into lasting change

Good morning to you Smithtown! Catch up on our news and events right here. Keep reading to stay in the know. ☀️

In today's newsletter:

• How one Smithtown senior turned a clothing drive into lasting change
• Which Smithtown standout made the Empire 8 volleyball watch list?

Today's riddle: I am on a seafood diet. 🤔 (Answer below!)

Weather forecast:

• Sunday: Mostly cloudy and breezy, with a high of 49 and low of 28 degrees.
• Monday: Breezy in the a.m.; sunshine, temps: high: 42, low: 31.
• Tuesday: Sunny; breezy in the p.m., with a high of 45 and low of 36 degrees.

📰 News we're reading

• Smithtown High School West senior receives Girl Scouts' highest honor (tbrnewsmedia.com) — A Smithtown High School West senior, Alexandra Dedonato, has earned Girl Scouts’ highest honor, the Gold Award, for a project directly benefiting her school and community. She created a ‘Career Corner’ clothing drive and a permanent ‘Career Closet’ at High School West, partnering with Dress for Success and DECA to provide free professional attire for students and local women.
   

• 2026 Empire 8 Men's Volleyball Players to Watch (empire8.com) — A Smithtown native, outside hitter Luke Jata, is highlighted among the Empire 8 men’s volleyball players to watch this season after a strong 2025 campaign at Elmira College. The article previews key returning standouts across several New York colleges as the 2026 conference season gets underway.
   

📸 Around Smithtown

Show off your photography skills and the sights around town! Click here to submit your Photo of the Day to Patch AM!

🗓 Upcoming Events in Smithtown

Add your event to our calendar and newsletter!

★ Featured events ★

Sunday January 11

• January's Cocktail Package: Katie's Haunted Book Club
  Katies of Smithtown, 145 W Main St, Smithtown
  6:30 pm

Want to see your event featured? Click here!

Other local events

Tuesday January 13

• Board of Zoning Appeals Meeting
  Smithtown, NY Calendar , 420 Middle Country Road , Smithtown
  6:00 pm

Saturday January 17

• Beginner Watercolor Painting
  Northport-East Northport Public Library , 151 Laurel Avenue , Northport
  10:00 am

Monday January 19

• Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Day (Holiday)
  Smithtown, NY Calendar Smithtown, NY 11787

📣 Smithtown Shout Outs!

Want to say something great about someone in town? Click here to submit your Shout Out to Patch AM! It's free!

🗓 Events Nearby

Sunday January 11

• Take a Bird to Lunch: Children's Program, $4 per child upon arrival
  WQ29+4G Charles & Helen Reichert Administration Building , Kings Park
  10:30 am
• Long Island Traditional Music Association presents LITMA Smithtown Contradance
  Smithtown Historical Society , 211 E Main St , Smithtown
  2:00 pm

Monday January 12

• 1, 2, 3, Play With Me: 12 Months - 42 Months [3.5 Years] (Commack Public Library)
  Commack Public Library , 18 Hauppauge Road , Commack
  9:00 am
• LEGO® Adventure: Grades K - 5 (Commack Public Library)
  Commack Public Library , 18 Hauppauge Road , Commack
  4:30 pm
• HSW - Virtual Enterprise Parent Open House
  Smithtown High School West , Smithtown High School W, Smithtown, NY 11787, USA
  6:00 pm
• Paint Nite Brand Creative Events
  Villa Olivetti , 645 Middle Country Rd , St James
  7:00 pm

Tuesday January 13

• Parent Talks
  Cornell Cooperative Extension of Suffolk County , 423 N Griffing Ave # 100 , Riverhead
  5:00 am
• Toddlers Explore
  Hauppauge Public Library , 1373 Veterans Memorial Hwy Ste. 1 , Hauppauge
  10:00 am

Have we missed something on our calendar? Add an event yourself! As always, before attending confirm event details to ensure accuracy.

Thank you 👏👏👏 to the local businesses for making Smithtown PatchAM possible:

• Mindsee.it — (646) 663-8317
  Teach your kids they can achieve the impossible!

Click here to show your appreciation! 💚

Want to see your business here? Click here to connect with local customers.

💬 Chatter

What your neighbors are talking about on social media

• Uncle Giuseppe's, Inc posted a job opening for Lead Cook (Seafood) in Smithtown. Apply here.
• McDonald's posted a job opening for Ice Cream/ Shake Machine Technician in Smithtown. Apply here. You can search for other jobs near Smithtown here.

🗞 Nearby News

Kings Park

• High school roundup: Boys and girls basketball results, plus bowling matches (newsday.com)
• 15 Recent UFO Sightings Reported Across Upstate New York (weareoneonta.com)
• Sal Formica Takes Seat at Legislature (messengerpapers.com)

Hauppauge

• Hauppauge Driver Airlifted After Car Slams Into Tractor Trailer In Bohemia: Police (patch.com)
• Newsday's top 50 cheerleaders for the 2025-26 season (newsday.com)
• Labor leaders rally against Trump's wind energy halt (newsday.com)

Ok Smithtown! So now you're in the loop about what's happening today. Thanks for reading, and see you in your inbox next time! Oh -- and if you like what you're reading, invite a friend to Patch AM!

-- The Patch AM Team

P.S. The answer to today's riddle: I see food and I eat it.
Got a good riddle for PatchAM? Send it to us!

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