Long Island supermarket helps seniors who can't afford price of bus ticket to store

GREENLAWN, Long Island (WABC) -- A shuttered grocery store may not seem like front page news, but to some seniors in Greenlawn, it means a lot.

"It was everything you know - everyone could walk to it" says Frances Bernardini.

The closest supermarket is now nearly two miles away. The town of Huntington put in a special bus route from Paumanack Village Senior Housing Development to the IGA store in East Northport, but the round trip cost is $6. That price can add up for the hundreds who live on a fixed income at the senior complex.

Now, in a sort of late Christmas present, the owner of the IGA store, Charlie Reichert is offering to pay indefinitely the roundtrip bus ticket for every senior from Paumanack. The $6 will simply be deducted from their grocery bill.

"It's amazing that they care, they actually care for the people who live here. It means a lot," says Marlene Pearlman.

IGA Store Manager Christopher Blohm said that Charlie and his son, Tommy talked to him about what they could do to ease everyone's burden, and said the $6 deduction was their idea.

Legislator William Spencer says he is trying to get another grocery store into the old Waldbaum's property.

"We're doing everything possible to try to have some sort of supermarket in that space," says Legislator Spencer.

In the meantime, the seniors surely appreciate the next best thing.