Letters

Featured Letter: An unsung hero of DownRight Art exhibit

To the editor:

I was grateful to see such a wonderful article last week dedicated to the DownRight Art exhibit now on display at Borghese Vineyards in Cutchogue. Having attended, I found it a very heartwarming experience as I met some of the artists and viewed their works. The staff at Borghese was very welcoming to the idea of an exhibit’s being displayed at the gallery, and enough can’t be said about the work that Esther Gomez-Nieto does with her organization, Alexander’s Angels.

A fact that was inadvertently overlooked is the recognition of one woman who established the communication and acted as liaison in bringing this inspiring event to the North Fork. After attending a DownRight Art exhibit at LIU Post in Brookville in 2009, my wife, Karly Taplin-Lucarelli, had a vision of bringing the same gallery to a venue in her hometown. After countless hours of planning and coordinating with Esther, Evie Kahn and Borghese Vineyards, her dream was fulfilled.

Karly, a lifelong resident of Cutchogue, received her master’s degree in special education from LIU Riverhead, and has taught in a special education setting in Cutchogue for the past six years. She has worked one-on-one in the homes of children with special needs and has attended various events across Long Island, including performances at the Cleary School for the deaf in Nesconset. She was also the leading spokeswoman in coordinating with Southold Town in the construction of the Reichert Family ADA certified playground at Tasker Park in Peconic.

Her family and friends are immensely proud of her and all of her achievements to date.

Her selfless acts and enormous heart continue to impress and inspire everyone around her.

Chris Lucarelli, Mattituck