Featured Story

Church shows support for ‘I love you, God’ trailer in Calverton

Members of a Mastic Beach church stood along Route 25 in Calverton Tuesday evening, holding American flags, waving and shouting at passing cars to stop and sign the abandoned trailer that reads “I love you, God. Thank You.” in protest of the recent violations issued by Riverhead Town.

Marie Tooker painted the sign in June on the trailer that has sat on the property for 10 years. The town issued violations on July 5, for two counts of having unregistered vehicles on the property.

“It’s not about the unregistered vehicle, Ms. Tooker said. “it’s about ‘I love you, God.”

Andrew Miller of Mastic, pastor of Home Church, said the group wanted to show their support for Ms. Tooker. Kelle Ryan of Wading River, a member the church who learned about the trailer on Facebook, said she doesn’t think the town was right.

“Just because some councilman or one person in the political world thinks it’s bad to take it down, it isn’t bad for the whole community,” she said.

“Loving God is not an eyesore,” said Krystel Miller of Mastic, adding that the sign brings a smile to her face while driving to work.

Loni Lewis of Riverhead pulled over to sign the trailer. She passes it every day on her way home from work and said she thinks the message is great.

“It’s her property,” Ms. Lewis said of Ms. Tooker. “She should able to do whatever the hell she wants with it.”

Ms. Tooker said Home Church contacted her and wanted to show their support for the sign. She said she is “humbled and more than grateful” for their efforts. She said she hears stories of how the trailer affects people when they stop by to take photos of it.

“How do we change the world,” she asked. “We bring hope to people and this trailer is bringing hope to thousands.”

[email protected]

Marie Tooker hugs a protester (Credit: Kelly Zegers)
Loni Lewis of Riverhead signs the trailer. (Credit: Kelly Zegers)