NCPAL Uniondale Unit Volunteer Michele Newell Named Among 2015 PAL Heroes

Uniondale, NY; April 24, 2015 – The Nassau County Police Activity League (NCPAL) has named Uniondale Unit volunteer Michele Newell to its 2015 PAL Heroes. She is among seven longtime volunteers to be recognized as heroes at the upcoming NCPAL Gala Award Ceremony taking place on May 1, 2015 at the Coral House in Baldwin. NCPAL, with the help of thousands of volunteers, operate 29 units in 40 different communities providing 35,000 young people opportunities to participate in athletic, arts and crafts and educational programs.

“Michele has set herself apart with her exceptional service and long-term dedication to the Uniondale units and the youths who comprise it and through her commitment to the Police Activity League philosophy: It is better to build youths than to mend adults,” said Nassau County PAL President Frank DiVittorio.

Newell has been involved in PAL for over 20 years. For four years she assisted the Uniondale Unit football program with registration and uniform distribution. She was a coach for the Track and Field program for a number of years and volunteered with the Bowling Program. Since 2000, Newell has been a member of the Uniondale Unit Executive Board and is the current Vice-President. Her two adult children participated in the PAL programs in which she volunteered.

In addition to her PAL volunteer services, Newell is a volunteer at Memorial Presbyterian Church with the “Feed My Sheep” program which provides food, clothes and prayer for community members in need. She is a member of Greater Uniondale Area Action Coalition (GUAAC) which focuses on the beautification of Uniondale. She is past PTA president at Walnut Elementary and Turtle Hook Middle School and has been active in Girl Scouts and Boy Scouts of America.

Other NCPAL longtime volunteers to be honored at the NCPAL Gala include Everton Marcus of Baldwin; Gary Britton of Bethpage, Sunil Sani of the Great Neck PAL; John Bentrewicz of the Hicksville PAL; Roy Vasile of Merrick PAL; Charles Durrant of the Oyster Bay/ East Norwich PAL; Mike Fasano of Plainview; Quontinett Simmons of the Roosevelt PAL; and Harvey Pollack of Massapequa-based Special Needs Unit PAL.

“I am truly honored to be named as one of the 2015 PAL Heroes alongside such other outstanding and dedicated volunteers,” said Newell. “However, my work with PAL has never been about attaining any personal awards or individual recognition; simply to provide our youth of today opportunities with which they might otherwise not have had as part of a larger goal to foster the upstanding citizens of tomorrow.”

For more information about Nassau County PAL youth sports and other programs or to inquire about volunteering with NCPAL, please visit: www.nassaucountypal.org

Nassau County Police Activity League (NCPAL), founded in 1940, is a tax-exempt, not-for-profit organization that operates twenty-nine (29) local units, which cover over forty (40) different communities in Nassau County. An executive board, a board of trustees and thousands of volunteers carry out the organization’s mission each day. NCPAL offers programs for over 35,000 young people from across Nassau County. The NCPAL mission is to prevent juvenile delinquency and steer children clear of gang activity, and to aid in the positive interaction of Police Officers and youth. The Nassau County Police Department provides officers to oversee these units and to interact with the youths of these communities. Activities that are offered include sports, crafts, educational, and other programs. These activities vary from unit to unit and are based on the local community needs and interests. For more information about NCPAL www.facebook.com/NassauCountyPalHeadquartersActivities or visit www.nassaucountypal.org.