12 Stories of Benevolence in 2010

It's clear from the time and effort which Three Villagers invest in local causes that the spirit of volunteerism and community pride runs deep here. From acts of historical and environmental preservation to acts of charity and good will, here's a look back at 12 of the most heartwarming local stories of 2010.

Lutz Family Gets New Dream Home

In June, ABC's Extreme Makeover: Home Edition to build a new home for one very deserving family: siblings Kathleen and John Lutz, caretakers of their six siblings with Down syndrome, who were coping with a tiny, aging home on Ringneck Lane. The New York City-themed home was .

Community Farm Donates Food, Cultivates Hope

Bethel AME Church continued to operate the Bethel Hobbs Community Farm in Centereach, which and service organizations. The historic farm, which donated 11,000 pounds of food in 2009, is entirely volunteer-run.

Civic Groups Pitch in for Trail Cleanup...

In October, members of the community came together to, an annual event which helps keep the local gem clean and green for everyone to use.

...and Beach Cleanup Too

West Meadow Beach saw its own share of community love, too, at the . Students, senior citizens, and everyone in between came down on a breezy September day to help rid the beach of as much trash as possible.

Avalon Volunteers Welcome New Additions to Park

The is seeing a resurgence thanks to park volunteers, who helped raise and release quail chicks in a program which started in January and saw results this past summer.

Community Responds to Family Devastated by Fire

The Massey family of Setauket lost their home to a fire in October, and since then, to help the family pick up the pieces.

Three Village School District Helps Teacher's Family

Patrick Tardo, the husband of Arrowhead Elementary teacher Danielle Tardo, was paralyzed in an accident in September, and members of the school community came together to support the Tardo family soon after. helped the family during its time of need.

Breakfast with Santa Fundraiser Benefits Baby Ella

In December, the for one little girl with a rare and serious medical condition.

Educational Foundation Raises Thousands for Students

In October, the Three Village Educational Foundation to support educational projects not funded by the school budget for students in the Three Village Central School District.

Local Woman Leaves Three Village Behind for Africa

to spend several months as a Kiva Fellow, leaving her own career and life behind to help cultivate small businesses and raise the quality of life for people in the third-world nation.

Childhood Cancer Survivors Celebrated at Stony Brook

The hospital honored several teens and college students – all survivors of cancer – with, who worked to improve the quality of life for young cancer patients before his own life was tragically cut short.

ALS Center Named in Honor of Pendergast

Stony Brook University Medical Center's ALS clinic was , a rare 17-year survivor of ALS who founded Ride for Life and has raised thousands of dollars for not only Stony Brook's ALS clinic but also for the benefit of other ALS patients around the country.