Councilwoman Susan A. Berland announces that she has sponsored the Town of Huntington’s first free sunscreen pilot program at Crab Meadow Beach.

“The purpose of this sunscreen pilot program is to promote sun safety. I believe that by providing this service to our residents we are helping them guard themselves from the sun, educate themselves on better sun protection and ultimately help the fight against skin cancer,” Councilwoman Berland said. “The importance of sunscreen is crucial and I’m hopeful that residents will take advantage of the free sunscreen now offered by the Town.”

The sunscreen dispenser is being purchased from a nonprofit organization, the Melanoma Foundation of New England (MFNE). The focus of MFNE is to detect early stages of melanoma and work towards preventing it through the Practice Safe Skin: Skin Cancer Prevention Project. According to the American Cancer Society, over 10,000 people will die from melanoma in 2016.

This project puts Huntington at the forefront of the fight against melanoma and moves the town forward in helping to protect its citizens. MFNE is now offering cities, non-profits and private businesses the opportunity to obtain weather resistant, low maintenance sunscreen dispensing units for the benefit of their communities. The dispenser is easy to use, similar to antiseptic dispensers, and is filled with organic, SPF 30 sunscreen.

“I’m thrilled to work with the Melanoma Foundation of New England in an effort to install the first free sunscreen dispenser within the Town of Huntington,” Councilwoman Berland said. “If the pilot is well received, we will look towards placing sunscreen dispensers at each of our beaches. I look forward to hearing from our residents about their views on this pilot program.”