History Channel's Holiday Gift to Community

In a sort of holiday gift to the community, the History Channel is donating $25,000 to Old Bethpage Village on Sunday.

The money will help preserve the historic structures at the Nassau County-run facility, that plays hosts to thousands of visitors each year.

History Channel's Chief Historian, Dr. Libby O’Connell of Lloyd Harbor, and will make the formal announcement from the steps of the general store inside Old Bethpage Village Restoration at 11 a.m. Sunday, a spokesman for the cable channel said.

They will be surrounded by ready to assist in repairing what Dr. O’Connell calls, “among the most unique and effective efforts at period preservation in the nation.”

is a recreation of a village, with 55 historic buildings (moved from various sites on Long Island) and seven authentic reproductions of 19th century structures. Since its first preservation effort in 1963, Old Bethpage Village Restoration has rescued many structures based on their architectural detail and

It has played host to annually and is among Long Isand's most frequented school field-trip locations.

At a time of economic recession and government deficits, Dr. O’Connell will call upon Long Island corporations and philanthropists to match the HISTORY grant to ensure that Old Bethpage Village Restoration can continue to meet its mission of telling Long Island’s story, according to a spokesman for the cable channel.

The grant award comes from History Channel's “Save Our History” program, a national education and preservation program that raises awareness and support for preserving local and national heritage.