Joyful Unity Picnic Spotlights Diversity On North Fork: Photos

NORTH FORK, NY — A crowd turned out Saturday for the annual Unity Picnic, presented by the Southold Town Anti-Bias Task Force with an eye toward battling racism through acceptance, inclusion, diversity — and community.

According to the ABTF's co-chair Sonia Spar — co-chair Val Shelby was also in attendance — about 150 attended the event.

"We have three members of the ABTF who are veterans so we called out to the audience for any other veterans present, and they, together, led us in the Pledge of Allegiance," she said.

Spar thanked those who opened their hearts to donate to the event, including Orlowski Hardware, who gave a wheelbarrow, Agora: The Little Greek, for sharing delicacies, Wickham's Fruit Farm, for an offering of melons, and Krupski Farms for bringing a basket of bounty.

The Unity Picnic always promises a day of good food, fun, and a shared vision of understanding and acceptance.

A traditional picnic of hot dogs, hamburgers and beverages was served; the day also included live music, entertainment, games for children, popcorn and prizes.

Southold Town Supervisor Scott Russell told Patch. "The Anti-Bias Task Force shows us that through dialogue, through understanding and empathy for each other, gaps can be closed and bridges can be built to overcome our differences. Personally, working with the ABTF gives me my most professional satisfaction. I think they make me a better supervisor but, more important, they make me a better person."