Go inside a 'Day in the Life' with hardworking Long Islanders on the job
On June 21, to mark the first day of summer, Newsday staff spent the day chronicling "A Day in the Life of Long Island" through photos, videos and social media posts. As a follow-up to the project, we spent some time with people throughout Long Island to learn about the responsibilities and challenges that come with an average day. This included shadowing a driver at Brew Crew Cycles, a mammal trainer at Long Island Aquarium, a service dog in training at America's VetDogs, and Patchogue Village sanitation workers. Read on to learn about our eye-opening experiences.
If you'd like us to check out what your day on Long Island is like, email rachel.weiss@newsday.com.
Brew Crew Cycles
Credit: Rachel Weiss
Center Moriches resident Ed McGill, 37, is a driver at Brew Crew Cycles, but his job description entails much more than just steering a cycle built for 14. McGill also selects the music for each trip, works his charm as a tour guide -- offering up fun facts and tidbits about each bar and brewery his riders visit -- and is a go-to beer authority. Hear about his craziest moments on the job and take a look behind the scenes of Riverhead's pub crawl on wheels here.
Long Island Aquarium
Credit: Rachel Weiss
Caroline Walsh, a mammal trainer at Riverhead's Long Island Aquarium, shares a smooch every day with a seal named Gray Beauty. At just 25, Walsh has already worked with 10 different species of animals, and the demands of her job sometimes require her to work 65 hours a week. Take a dive inside the Long Island Aquarium exhibits and meet some of Walsh's closest pals: A 400-pound sea lion and a prickly porcupine with a knack for the arts.
America's VetDogs
Credit: Rebecca Eden / America’s VetDogs
Meet Caspar, a service dog who recently graduated from the America's VetDogs training program. Caspar was paired up with Vietnam veteran Robert Rapone, who decided he needed a service dog to work through his post-traumatic stress disorder and physical impairments. The boys hit it off right away, and got busy training and bonding during two weeks of classes at the America's VetDogs headquarters in Smithtown. Follow Caspar as he treks through a day of tasks, tests and treats.
Patchogue Village sanitation workers
Credit: Newsday / Kimberly Yuen
At 6:30 a.m., rain or shine, Patchogue Village sanitation workers begin their long day. Eddie Bethel, left, with Charlie Collins and Troy Quarltere, walk between six and nine miles per day, often carrying between 50 and 80 pounds at a time. Read all about the perks, quirks and challenges that come with the job of a sanitation worker, and ride along during a typical route in Patchogue.
