Ahoy! Pirate Fest Brings Treasure to Southside Hospital

If there’s one thing pirates know how to do it is find treasure. Witness Southside Hospital’s second annual Pirate Fest on August 2. A fun family day on Fire Island that brought in those gold doubloons (about $150,000) for the hospital’s new Bohlsen Family Emergency Department.

More than 500 people attended the day’s events, which included treasure hunts, a kids’ carnival, face painting, caricatures, volleyball tournament and a boat decorating contest for adults. In addition, there was a costume parade hosted by Kismet Inn, Rum Runner competition hosted by Surf’s Out, Pirate Tennis Clinic with Amie Crisera, Pirate Yoga with Lauren Diesu, Pirate Agility hosted by Parisi Speed School, rum and spirit tasting hosted by West Islip Wine and Liquors and wine tastings hosted by Fire Island Taps.

Southside’s Bohlsen Family Emergency Department will be about triple the size of the previous emergency department and feature a new split flow model where patients, based on the severity of their injury or illness, will be immediately triaged and experience a shorter wait time.

Some of the people who helped to make the Pirate Fest a success include the committee chairperson, Patty Diesu; committee members Oriana Bohlsen, Dr. Jean Caccibaudo, Susie Imbert, Jane Mooney and Marijane Voltz; and sub-committee members Amanda Barbara, Domini Bertucci, Kimberly Bogler, Mary Pat Boyle, James Bruno, Dr. Adriane Collins, Jeanene Crawson, Amie Crisera, Rob DiStefano, Dana DeRuvo Hanner, Laurie Hahn, Linda Knoth, Mary Beth Lessing, Eileen Rafferty, Mark Rudner, Jeff Schou, Wendy Schou and Marybeth Tregarthen.