Veterans Day means goods and produce giveaways, Montaukett Indian Nation tributes, Smithtown ceremony

Veterans and their families will be offered a variety of free goods — from winter coats to energy-efficient light bulbs — on Thursday by Suffolk County, one day before the national holiday in their honor.

At another event on Thursday, free produce from a farmers market will be provided by PSEG Long Island, a co-sponsor with Long Island Cares, The Harry Chapin Food Bank.

Both events will take place in Hauppauge.

And on Friday, Veterans Day, the Montaukett Indian Nation is inviting members, extended family and friends to honor their veterans from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. at a cemetery, the Miller Burial Site, on Great Neck Road in Amityville.

Similarly, Smithtown on Friday plans to honor their 5,500 veterans with a ceremony expected to include Town Supervisor Edward Wehrheim, who is a Navy Vietnam veteran, local scouts, and high school musicians. High school student Olivia Wolber will read her essay, which won the “Voice of Democracy” contest held by the Veterans of Foreign Wars.

Then on Nov. 19, the Sons of Liberty Long Island will host a Thanksgiving food distribution for disabled and homeless veterans and their families at the Amvets Post 76, 44 W. Main St. in Bay Shore. The event will run from noon to 5 p.m., and organizers said they will deliver food to anyone who cannot pick it up in person.

Suffolk County Executive Steve Bellone noted that Suffolk has the largest population of veterans in New York State. (The county has a total of 64,000 veterans, according to a report by the New York State Health Foundation, a private group that says it aims to improve all New Yorkers’ health.)

“Here in Suffolk it is not only our duty, but our mission to ensure that those who have put their lives on the line for our freedoms are supported, honored, and recognized,” Bellone said in a statement with other lawmakers and sponsors.

Thursday's giveaway event, which requires attendees to register, will be held from 3 p.m. to 6 p.m. in the main lobby for the H. Lee Dennison Building, at 100 Veterans Memorial Highway in Hauppauge.

This is the fourth year the Suffolk County Veterans Service Agency is hosting the Veterans Resource & Stand Down Event. In addition to the utilitarian items, veterans who attend the event will be offered information about nonprofit services for which they may qualify.

The free produce event, which aims to give veterans more “access to nutritious food,” includes informing them about advocacy efforts and resources that may help them.

This Veterans Resource Fair will run from 9 a.m. to noon at Long Island Cares’ Center for Community Engagement, which is located at 75 Davids Dr.

“Coming together to meet the needs of Long Islanders is at the core of both Long Island Cares and PSEG Long Island’s missions,” said Jessica Rosati, chief programs officer at Long Island Cares.

Long Islanders who wish to signal their support for veterans can buy a green light bulb from local shops and “share their participation on social media,” with the hashtag #OperationGreenLIght.

Along with the bulbs — 100 of which were donated by Home Depot that will be given out at the first event — illumination will turn the H. Lee Dennison Building green.

With Nicholas Spangler