A group of concerned parents of Merrick and Bellmore calling themselves "M.O.M.S." (Moms of Merri-Bell Speak-out) have been rallying together to oppose the invasion of cell towers and antennae near their homes and schools.  

The group has retained federal commercial civil rights attorney Andrew J. Campanelli, a Merrick resident himself, to battle the cell companies that have invaded their towns. 
 

Sharon Curry and Jodi Turk-Goldberg, two of Merrick's concerned mothers, contacted Campanelli after reading about his federal lawsuit against the Village of Bayville, N.Y.  In that case, Campanelli demanded that several cellular telephone companies remove more than 50 cellular transmission antennae from atop a water tower which is located a mere 50 feet from Bayville's only elementary school wherein three young students have already died of leukemia and 30 percent of the staff have cancer and other serious illnesses, Turk-Goldberg said.  

In Merrick, seemingly overnight, cell companies Metro PCS and Next G sneakily erected countless antennae perilously near the schoolyards at Birch, Lakeside, Fayette, and Chatterton elementary schools as well as Calhoun High School,  Turk-Goldberg said. 

Aside from placing these antennae near schools, the antennae are abundant in residential neighborhoods as close as 25 feet to children's bedrooms. These antennae have been emitting radiation to anything within 800 feet, Turk-Goldberg said.  Homeowners and parents have been responding with petitions and telephone calls to the Town, legislators, and civic associations. A letter of support was posted by Merrick Schools Superintendent Dr. Ranier Melucci on the Merrick UFSD Web site. 
 

M.O.M.S. mission is to create an cell antenna free zone around schools and homes, to more strictly regulate the placement of future cell antennae, not only in Merrick and Bellmore, or even Long Island, but throughout the country, Turk-Goldberg said.