Oak Neck Athletic Council Honors Sgt. Robert Hendriks

Grey skies set a sad mood for a ceremony honoring Sergeant Robert Hendriks, a Marine who was killed in Afghanistan, April 8th. The Ceremony took place on Tuesday, April 16th on the Oak Neck Athletic Council’s field at Centre Island Beach.

Robert Hendricks was a part of the Oak Neck Family. As a young boy he played football for the Oak Neck Athletic Council. Tom Lumi, a father of a 6th grader had the idea to make up decals with Robert’s initials for the teams helmets to honor him. The Glen Cove Printery generously donated the decals to the teams.

Lacrosse teams, coaches, and parents along with Al Stabb, president of the Oak Neck Athletic Council, Helen Piscitello vice president, Pat Natale one of the founders of Oak Neck, Eric Carlstrom the director of Lacrosse and Jake Jacobi who was Robert Hendrik’s football coach, were all gathered on the field. After several heartfelt speeches, there was a moment of silence, and then helmets were held high as a salute in honor of a fallen hero. Coaches then affixed the sticker to the players helmets. In the fall there will be another ceremony for the Oak Neck football teams.