‘Good Deeds’ by 30 LI teens cheered by Chabad of Merrick

Thirty Long Island teenagers were presented with Good Deed Awards last Thursday. The annual ceremony was organized in 1992 by Rabbi Anchelle Perl, director Chabad of Mineola.

At a time when headlines focus on sadness and cruelty, Rabbi Perl set out to identify youngsters who, regardless of their race or religious orientation, have exhibited kindness and generous demeanor as positive role models.

One of the students honored was Matthew Batnick of Roslyn High School. At age 13 for his Bar Mitzvah, he collected and distributed special food products to help people facing life-threatening food allergies. Then he proceeded to establish a non-profit foundation, Matthews Vision, to provide allergy-free food and money to those in need.

 He has so far collected over 500 pounds of food and $15,000. In one family that he assisted, two of their three children have severe allergies to wheat, dairy and soy. The father had lost his job and suffered with advance sarcoidosis. Using the money donated, Batnick subsidized the family’s food bill for months until the father found another job. He is now lobbying with his congressmember for legislation that would require chefs and soup kitchens to be educated on food allergies and how to handle emergency situations.

Rabbi Perl cited the Lubavitcher Rebbe who “always encouraged acts of goodness and kindness among humanity, to be the avenue to bring the world to complete peace and harmony.”

Here are the students who won this year’s Good Deed Awards — Baldwin HS: David Zuckerman. Bethpage HS: Carly Licht. Chaminade HS: Thomas De Simone and George Rettaliata. Division Avenue HS: Christopher DeMilia and Libbie Sudweeks. JFK HS: Alexa Greenberg and Mark Reyes. John Glenn HS: Danielle Rubin. Lynbrook HS: Ricardo Ortiz. Roslyn HS: Landon Allen, Matthew Batnick, Samantha Busch, Allison Einberg, Evan Kirsh, Madison Lazar, Andrew Lieblich, Andrew Meyerson, Jonathan Nissan and Robbie Pomerantz. Sacred Hearts Academy: Nicole Mawhirter and Colleen Sullivan. South Side HS: Charlotte Carver, Isabelle King and Madeline Musnisky. Wantagh HS: Ruth Kupperberg. West Hempstead HS: Kelly Valerio. Wheatley School: Joshua Golbari and Sydney Kotin. S.H. Calhoun HS: Jacqueline Shand.