LI woman leads 'Candles in the Window' initiative, wishes to honor COVID-19 victims 

Franklin Square resident Deborah Salant was searching for a simple gesture, "something small but impactful," she said, "that would show love, solidarity and support" for those who lost loved ones to COVID-19.

That's when the idea of placing an electronic candle on her window sill suddenly popped into mind. "And the 'Candles in the Window' initiative was born," Salant, 66, said.

Salant, who in December donated her family’s burial plots at Greenfield Cemetery in Uniondale to victims of COVID-19 — after initially running into red tape, which included fees and a town code stating plots could only be used for blood relatives — said her "heart's biggest wish" is to have as many people as possible join her in lighting the candles.

"So many families have been torn apart by this virus, the losses are gut wrenching," she said.

"We have to support one another during these terrible, terrible times, and this is such a simple way to do it, to show you care, to show your compassion ... it's one candle."

Salant's call is for Long Islanders to light an electronic candle — in lieu of a flame candle, for safety reasons — starting April 1 and throughout the rest of the month.

Salant's husband, Robert Salant, said he is impressed by his wife's tenacity and is hopeful her efforts will be mirrored by thousands of others on the Island.

"I'm hoping it becomes ubiquitous, that we can drive around and see there's candles everywhere, in every window," he said.

"Especially because this is a special time ... we're talking Passover, Lent, Easter's around the corner. It's a time of mourning, a time of hope for the future, a time for coming together, for rebirth."

In an effort to widen the reach of the "Candles in the Window" push, the Salants reached out to the Franklin Square Civic Association, of which they are longtime members. FSCA treasurer Frank Culmone then messaged the group's membership about "Candles in the Window" and emailed Nassau County Executive Laura Curran and Town of Hempstead Supervisor Donald X. Clavin with details of the initiative.

The Town of Hempstead responded by posting messages on its Facebook page and Twitter account announcing it would join the association in "remembering the more than 500,000 USA fatalities from COVID-19," and stated, "We are asking residents to display an electronic candle in their window as an act of solidarity to memorialize the ones we lost."

Culmone said Salant's idea was one he and the rest of the FSCA's leadership thought was wonderful right off the bat.

"We didn't hesitate one bit, it's about community. Collectively, we've been through so much, throughout this pandemic ... families not being able to be together while their loved one was passing," he said.

"It's something we as a town, county and even country should get behind."