How Ted Nolan spent U.S. Thanksgiving

NEWS RELEASE

NEW YORK ISLANDERS

************************* Ted and Sandra Nolan help out

The Nolans visit the Mary Brennan soup kitchen on Thanksgiving

To anyone who has had the opportunity to meet Islanders Head Coach Ted Nolan and his wife Sandra over the last five months, it is no surprise to see what they did on Thanksgiving.

Following Thursday morning's practice, Ted and Sandra headed straight to Hempstead to serve food to those in need at the Mary Brennan Interfaith Nutrition Network (INN).

With smiles on their faces all afternoon, the Nolans poured soup, schmoozed with people in line and kept the atmosphere light on the most charitable of holidays.

"Sandra and I always enjoy working in the community," said Ted. "Helping others is what Thanksgiving is all about. It's the least we can do for the less fortunate on Long Island."

The INN is a volunteer-based charitable organization with a mission of providing food and shelter to hungry and homeless Long Islanders.

The INN was founded as a single soup kitchen in Hempstead in 1983.

Today, The INN operates 19 soup kitchens throughout Nassau and Suffolk and will serve over 325,000 hot meals in 2006.

The INN also provides emergency shelter and long-term, low-income housing at over 25 locations on Long Island.

Thursday was the second time in three days that Ted has been out lending a hand in the community.

Ted was a surprise guest at the Island Harvest food collection on Tuesday, encouraging residents to give packaged food to the homeless on Long Island.

"If I could help every day I could," said Ted. "There's nothing better than brightening a person's day whether it be through an extra meal or a simple hello."

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